The Montreal Canadiens were in Southern California to take on the Los Angeles Kings at Crypto.com Arena on Wednesday night. With the Canadiens at 25-23-5 and the Kings at 27-17-6, it was an East Coast-West Coast showdown! The Kings won 6-3, finishing the night with 60 points and a 28-17-6 record. With three games remaining at home before the 2025 4 Nations Face-Off, the Kings aim to build on their winning streak as the Canadiens head back east to take on the New Jersey Devils on Saturday afternoon.
Kings Dominate First Period
The Los Angeles Kings looked like a completely different team in the first period based on their speed, strength, and agility. Just minutes in, Vladislav Gavrikov’s slap shot at 18:21 gave them an early lead, and they quickly built an 8-1 shots advantage over the Canadiens. With Drew Doughty back in the lineup, their defense looked significantly tougher. This was a Kings team reborn, playing with a renewed sense of energy and optimism that had been missing in recent games. The fast-paced first period concluded with both teams heading to the locker rooms, leaving fans thrilled for what the second period would bring.
Kings Bounce Back, Retake Lead after Canadiens’ Tie
The second period featured back-and-forth action, with a minor penalty given to Alexandre Carrier for holding Adrian Kempe’s stick. The holding call against Carrier came after a struggle along the boards where Kempe was left at an unfair advantage. When the Canadiens found the perfect moment to strike, Mike Matheson tied the score 1-1 on a Montreal power play early in the second period, as L.A. scrambled to take the lead for the first time in this game. The Kings, under increased pressure, fired back with a Warren Foegele penalty shot goal, making it 2-1. With hardly a finger lifted, Foegele buried a wrist shot into the net of Jakub Dobeš. Despite a Quinton Byfield breakaway and a few shots on goal from Kevin Fiala, the Kings were unable to build on their lead. Both teams used different strategies in the second period. The Kings prioritized more shots on goal, while the Canadiens looked for scoring opportunities.
The Final Countdown
Just seconds into ann electrifying third period, Brandt Clarke’s slap shot found the back of the net, giving LA a 3-1 lead. The Kings held a 25-15 shot advantage over the Canadiens as they battled in a physical matchup. At 16:23, Carrier’s goal put Montreal on the board, one score shy of tying the game. As the period wound down, Fiala scored, making it 4-2. Logan Mailloux scored, bringing the Habs within one. Moments later, Kevin Fiala scored again, extending the lead to 5-3. Finally, Trevor Moore scored, sealing the 6-3 victory.
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