Kings Drop Another Home Game, Fall 3-1 to Caps’

The first game in December for the Kings (12-7-7) saw the Capitals (16-9-2) come into a chilly night in L.A. and steal a 3-1 win over the home team, thanks to a goal scored from Washington’s Anthony Beauvillier and Aliaksei Protas.

What started as a close, cautious game entering the third tied 1-1 ultimately ended with Washington executing when it counted, and leaving the ice with their fifth straight win, and they are 8-1-0 in their last nine games.

Scoring Breakdown

The Capitals opened the scoring early when Tom Wilson buried the power-play goal to put Washington up 1-0. The period would end with Los Angeles trailing 1-0 after one. But a few minutes into the second, the Kings' Adrian Kempe answered back, converting the nice setup by Anze Kopitar, tying the game 1-1.

Both teams would get plenty of shots in the rest of the second period, but it wouldn’t go their way as both goalies on either team did a great job defending. But that defense for the Kings all ended in the third.

Two minutes into the final regulation, Anthony Beauvillier scored the eventual goal that would give Washington momentum to end the game. Los Angeles went the last 15 minutes of the game, managing only three shots on goal, and played another disappointing game at home.

The final nail in the coffin came in under two minutes with Aliaksei Protas spoiling all fans in Crypto.com with an empty-netter to make it 3-1 and ice the game. The decisive third-period push, in which Washington scored two goals and played tremendous defense, shows them they can finish a game even on the road.

Los Angeles Kings’ Home Struggles Reach Concerning Levels The Los Angeles Kings surely didn’t expect to play poorly at home this season, considering they were the best home team last year, but 10 games in, the numbers tell a story the team can’t ignore.

What This Means Going Forward

The game remained low-scoring and tight throughout, until the final frame, when both teams traded physical blows and made solid defensive plays. It was generally an even game until the third, when Washington took off and never looked back.

The win gives Washington a boost and momentum, as they’ve been rolling in their last 10 games after a slow start to the season. But, for Los Angeles, this game highlights the recurring issues, inability to close out games, and continuing to lose at home.

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