Kings Can’t Recover From Slow Start, Fall 4-0 to Stars

Todd McLellan discussed the potential for rust during morning skate, and that potential turned into reality at Crypto.com Arena as the Los Angeles Kings lost to the Dallas Stars 4-0. This marked the Kings' first back-to-back losses since Dec. 13 when the Kings lost to the Columbus Blue Jackets and Buffalo Sabres back-to-back.

First Period:

The Kings started like a team who hasn't played in four days. Slow, sluggish and lacking the attention to detail McLellan mentioned during morning skate. 

A rare poor goal allowed from Pheonix Copley to open the scoring didn't help matters. As he allowed Tyler Seguin's tame effort from the top of the faceoff circle went off Copley's blocker and in. 

The Kings responded well after going down. Controlling play for a period, highlighted by a lengthy offensive zone shift from the third line. This didn't last long though and after about five minutes the Kings looked behind the pace again. 

Getting out of the first period down just one would have been good for the Kings, but Seguin ruined that plan with his second of the night. After stripping Drew Doughty, Seguin walked into the left faceoff circle and blew a wrist shot by Copley with just under three minutes remaining in the period. 

Things went from bad to worse for LA, with Esa Lindell jumping into the play and going bar down to put the Kings up 3-0 with just over one minute remaining in the first period.

Giving the Kings a mountain to climb after one period.

Second Period:

Despite an early power play for the Kings, the second period didn't start much better. 

Jason Robertson put the Stars up 4-0 just over seven minutes in, ending Pheonix Copley's night.

The Kings were able to slow the bleeding and keep the game at 4-0 after two periods. 

Third Period:

The Kings were able to apply some pressure on the Stars in the third period, but couldn't crack Scott Wedgewood, who handed the Kings their first shutout loss on home ice this season.

The Kings will travel tomorrow to Nashville, starting a six-game rode trip that will take them into the All-Star break.