Anže Kopitar showcased his prowess with two goals and an assist, while Cam Talbot stood strong with 22 saves as the Los Angeles Kings cruised to a 6-2 victory over the Chicago Blackhawks on Tuesday night.
Adding to the scoring frenzy, Alex Laferriere, Vladislav Gavrikov, Phillip Danault, and Trevor Lewis all found the back of the net. Adrian Kempe contributed three assists, and the Kings continued their dominance following their 5-0 win against Chicago last Friday.
“At this stage of the season, securing the two points is paramount,” interim coach Jim Hiller remarked. “We were searching for someone to step up, and it’s gratifying to see the big players, particularly Kopi, delivering with two goals.”
Despite Nick Foligno and Kevin Korchinski managing to score for the Blackhawks, their efforts were not enough against the relentless Kings. Petr Mrazek made 18 saves, but Chicago suffered its 24th loss in the last 25 road games.
“Once again, they demonstrated why they’re in the position they’re in,” noted Chicago head coach Luke Richardson. “We need to continue our quest for improvement.”
The first period saw both teams exchanging goals, contrasting with Friday’s match where the Kings took a commanding lead. Laferriere capitalized on a rebound to put Los Angeles ahead, but an error on the penalty kill allowed Chicago to equalize through Foligno.
“We respect Chicago, but we have tougher opponents ahead,” Kempe emphasized regarding the slow start. “We can’t afford to surrender a period like that. It could significantly impact our points tally, so we need to maintain focus for the full 60 minutes.”
In the second period, the Kings surged ahead with Gavrikov’s goal followed by Kopitar’s brace, extending their lead to 4-1. Kopitar’s impressive performance against Chicago brought his career points total to 1,199, just one away from joining the exclusive 1,200-point club in the NHL.
“We were keeping an eye out for him,” Kempe noted. “He had some excellent opportunities, and it was close. We’re eagerly anticipating the next game, but tonight he was on fire.”
The game was not without its casualties, as Blackhawks forward Colin Blackwell sustained a shoulder injury following a collision with Kevin Fiala, while Kings center Alex Turcotte left the game with an upper-body injury.
