Tonight’s game stared at 7:30 p.m. Pacific time. For the Coyotes, at least. The Kings showed up at the start of the third period, at which point they already trailed 2-0. They made a good show of it in the third period, and Jonathan Quick helped keep them alive with 24 saves, but it wasn’t enough. Peter Harrold’s power-play goal, his second goal in as many games, made it 2-1 with just over 11 minutes to play, but the Kings couldn’t tie it.

Harrold’s goal came with him on the ice as a defenseman. His shot from the point beat Ilya Bryzgalov, with Anze Kopitar and Patrick O’Sullivan getting assists, and Dustin Brown getting an unofficial assist for providing a screen in front. The Kings had an outstanding chance to tie the game in the final 30 seconds, with Bryzgalov out of position, but Kopitar couldn’t make solid contact with the puck in front of the net.

Phoenix outshot the Kings 26-25. The Kings totaled 11 shots in the third period and a combined 14 in the first two periods. The Kings went 1 for 3 on the power play while the Coyotes went 1 for 4. Peter Mueller scored a first-period goal and Shane Doan scored a second-period goal.

Tom Preissing didn’t have a shift in the third period, presumably by coach’s choice and not because of an injury…

Quotes and notes to follow soon…