The Devils had an unfortunate loss on Thursday, February 15th. The Los Angeles Kings played against the Devils in New Jersey at The Rock and won with a 2-1 score. Throughout the game, it seemed it was a close win for either team and a lot of penalties... This loss ended a possible third win straight for New Jersey.
Kings lineup against the Devils:
Byfield - Kopitar - Fiala
Moore - Danault - Arvidsson
Laferriere - Dubois - Kempe
Anderson-Dolan - Turcotte - Lewis
Anderson - Doughty
Gavrikov - Roy
Englund - Spence
Rittich
Talbot
Devils lineup against the Kings:
Palat - Hischier - Bratt
Hughes - Haula - Toffoli
Meier - Lazar - Mercer
Holtz - Nosek - Bastian
Bahl - Nemec
Hughes - Marino
Smith - Miller
Daws
Schmid
The first frame remained a 0-0 score, with some great saves and hard play by both teams.
The Kings opened the scoring in the second period - Anze Kopitar struck his 16th goal of the season to give Los Angeles a 1-0 lead. Kopitar scored at the right post with a short-handed goal on a backhand, following up on a shot from Adrian Kempe from the slot. At 7:02, Tyler Toffoli tied it up 1-1 at the right post with a snap shot and recording his 23rd goal of the season.
Late into the third period, Quinton Byfield scored on the power play. Byfield knocked down a shot in the slot, then snapped a wrist shot at the left post for the 2-1 final.
Tyler Toffoli on the Devils' 2-1 loss against the Los Angeles Kings: "Both teams had some looks and obviously, we just fell short. We had some good opportunities and a chance to go up there in the third period," - "That's the way that they play. They've always played hard... I think we had a chance to do something tonight - Obviously, it's good to play good hockey but at the end of the day, you need points and you need to climb the standings, especially with where we're at. We can look at it positively, and we will, but at the same time, we got to know in the back of our minds that we have to win these close games."
Notes:
- Nico Daws made 27 saves for New Jersey
- Jack Hughes recorded an assist, his 152nd in the NHL - tying Scott Gomez for second-most by a Devils/Colorado Rockies/Kansas City Scouts player before the age of 23... Kirk Muller is first with 210.
- Tyler Toffoli stats: 52 GP 23 Goals 13 Assists 36 Points
- David Rittich made 26 saves for Los Angeles
- Anze Kopitar tied Luc Robitaille (69) for the second-most game-opening goals in LA Kings history... Marcel Dionne is first with 70.
Kopitar's goal marked his 200th career road goal... joining Marcel Dionne (262) and Luc Robitaille (235), the only skaters in franchise history to record 200 road goals.
*All photos used by the New Jersey Devils used with permission*
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