Los Angeles Kings fans have been watching the same script since the start of the season. They have now played in 10 overtime games this season, tying the Edmonton Oilers for the most in the league, and tonight’s loss to the Boston Bruins puts them 4-0-6 in extra periods, the most losses by any team in overtime.
Advertisement
Despite outshooting their opponent 32-26, for the second straight game, the Kings once again came up short in overtime, scoring just one goal with 32 shots tells the whole story.
The Los Angeles Kings can play well enough and come back from leads to force overtime; they can even dominate large stretches of games, but when the clock hits zero, something always happens.
Then, it’s deja vu in extra periods; everything turns to dust.
On Friday night, coming off another shootout loss to the Sharks last night, the Kings once again fell in back-to-back overtime losses, losing 2-1 to the Boston Bruins. It’s not a fluke when the same ending plays out repeatedly; it’s a pattern, and it’s frustrating to watch.
Advertisement
Kings Followed the Same Ending on a Different Night
If you’ve watched the Kings play all season, you’ve seen this movie before. They battle back, get the tying goal, generate more shots and chances than their opponent, and then, when it matters most, they break down in overtime.
Joel Armia scored the lone goal for LA midway through the third period, giving the Kings the push to stay in the game. Once OT began, the same script repeated: missed assignments, misreads, and the Bruins capitalizing immediately, and Morgan Geekie scored his second goal of the game to take the Kings’ hearts.
Overtime Is A Liability
The Kings aren’t getting outworked or losing badly; they’re failing to finish games in one format that has repeatedly haunted them: 3-on-3 overtime.
Advertisement
LA just looks noticeably less confident once the game reaches sudden death. Back-to-back overtime losses expose an issue that the Kings haven’t solved, and opposing teams will use it against them when games matter.
Right now, the story isn’t that they’re losing, it’s that they’re losing the same way, and everyone keeps seeing it. Until the Kings break the script, the momentum won’t swing in their favor, and the frustration will only keep growing.
THN.com/FREE
For action-packed issues, access to the entire magazine archive and a free issue, subscribe to The Hockey News at THN.com/free. Get the latest news and trending stories by subscribing to our newsletter here. And share your thoughts by commenting below the article on THN.com or creating your own post in our community forum.
