Playoff level physicality took center stage on Thursday night as the Los Angeles Kings fell to the Vancouver Canucks, 4-2. Unfortunately for the Kings, they not only lost the game, but also likely some manpower in the short term.
With LA leading 1-0 in the second period, Tanner Jeannot was assessed a match penalty after he hit Canucks forward Brock Boeser with a head shot. Vancouver converted once on the ensuing five minute powerplay to tie the game, and never really looked back. For Jeannot, a suspension is a near certainty.
Later in the second, a Filip Hronek shot struck Mickey Anderson around the ear, ending the LA defenseman’s night early. Kings coach Jim Hiller had no update on Anderson after the game. His availability for Saturday’s game against Columbus is uncertain.
Already in the dubious position of playing their third game in four nights, the Kings were forced to ice 11 forwards and 5 defensemen with Jeannot and Anderson both done for the evening. Fatigue seemingly set in for LA in the third as they struggled to connect in the Vancouver zone. Vladislav Gavrikov pulled the Kings to within one later in the frame, but Canucks forward JT Miller iced the game with an empty net goal at 18:46.
Quinn Hughes scored the game winning goall and added an assist in a dominant individual performance that saw him finish with a 73.91 CF% and a staggering 87.63 xGF%. With Hughes on the ice, the Canucks had an 18-2 advantage in scoring chances and a 9-0 advantage in high danger chances.
The Kings dropped to 8-4-3, snapping a 4 game point streak. They host the Columbus Blue Jackets on Saturday night at Crypto.com Arena.
