Detroit 7, Kings 3.

Did the anticipation, and the eventual catharsis, of the trade deadline catch up to the players? Was it bad luck? Maybe both?

Those were the questions that needed to be asked, because it just didn’t make sense that a team that had not given up more than three goals in a game since Jan. 8 would suddenly, out of nowhere, give up seven. Interesting to note that Terry Murray admitted to having thoughts of pulling Jonathan Quick after the Red Wings’ first goal, a bad-angle shot by Drew Miller that tied the game at 1.

Detroit scored the game’s next six goals to chase Quick, and the second-guessing began.

Here’s the game story, here’s the story about the Dustin Penner trade/Justin Williams extension, and here are a few notes that didn’t make the paper:

Personal confession: Baseball is my first love and I think statistics are generally underused in hockey. I like stats, but not for this game. The Kings outshot Detroit 39-27. There are other numbers that seem about as nonsensical in hindsight, but one that was telling was 19, the number of giveaways by the Kings. “If you’re going to over-handle the puck, if you’re going to get cute with it, you’re going to get casual with it, this is the team that will expose you and capitalize on it,” Murray said.

The Kings finished February with an 8-2-3 record (19 points, .731 winning percentage). The best February in team history came in 1991 (22 points and .786 winning percentage: 10-2-2).

Peter Harrold played seven shifts at forward, spanning 4:58, basically in Kevin Westgarth’s fourth-line right wing spot. Harrold hadn’t played since Jan. 6. Between those two games, Harrold has played 14:01 this year.

Quick matched a career high with six goals against. Both of the other games came against Phoenix -Oct. 3, 2009 and Dec. 29, 2010.

The Kings scored on two of their last three shots. The Wings scored on two of their first three shots.

Anze Kopitar had two assists, but saw his three-game goal streak end.

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About J.P. Hoornstra

J.P. Hoornstra covers the Dodgers, Angels and Major League Baseball for the Orange County Register, Los Angeles Daily News, Long Beach Press-Telegram, Torrance Daily Breeze, San Gabriel Valley Tribune, Pasadena Star-News, San Bernardino Sun, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin, Whittier Daily News and Redlands Daily Facts. Before taking the beat in 2012, J.P. covered the NHL for four years. UCLA gave him a degree once upon a time; when he graduated on schedule, he missed getting Arnold Schwarzenegger's autograph on his diploma by five months.