Chicago Blackhawks vs. Los Angeles Kings: In-Game Updates
February 23, 2008 Leave a Comment
Greetings from the press box at Staples Center where the Los Angeles Kings host Patrick Kane, Jonathan Toews and the Chicago Blackhawks in a matinee affair—it’s one of those doubleheader days here at Staples Center, with the Los Angeles Clippers hosting the Los Angeles Lakers tonight.
Starting goaltenders will be Patrick Lalime for Chicago and Dan Cloutier for the Kings. The officials will be referees Chris Lee and Rob Schick and the linesmen will be Tim Nowak and Jay Sharrers…
For those who are keeping up on this stuff, outside of the usual suspects from Boston, Chicago, Dallas and the New York Rangers, there are scouts here from Carolina, Colorado, Detroit, Tampa Bay, Ottawa and Pittsburgh…
Scratches: Chicago: Martin Lapointe, Brent Sopel, Nikolai Khabibulan; Los Angeles: Derek Armstrong, Jason LaBarbera, Brian Willsie…
The Kings strike first, with defenseman Peter Harrold scoring his first National Hockey League goal on a wrist shot from above the top of the slot through a screen. Assists to Jeff Giuliano and Lubomir Visnovsky at 5:23. The goal came off a good forechecking shift by Giuliano’s line. Newly-acquired forward Matt Ellis and Raitis Ivanans are Giuliano’s line mates…
Chicago comes right back and scores on the power play with Brad Stuart off for tripping. Patrick Sharp deflected a point shot past Cloutier at 9:32 from Duncan Keith and Brent Seabrook. It will be interesting to see how the Kings respond…
First period ends, 1-1. Fairly even period overall..
The wheels have totally fallen off the wagon for the Kings to start the second, as they have gift-wrapped three goals for the ’Hawks. The first two, scored by Martin Havlat and the second one scored by Andrei Zyuzin, were both the direct result of blatant defensive blunders on consecutive shifts by the Kings. The third, scored by Jonathan Toews, was a soft goal allowed by Cloutier, who was slow to cover the left post after making a routine save on the first shot. We’re not even halfway through the second period and this game is likely already over. The Blackhawks have totally dominated the Kings in this period…
The lazy play and poor defensive coverage continues…they give up a two-on-one down low and Jason Williams gets an easy one at 8:17. Erik Ersberg is now in goal, making his NHL debut…
5-1 Chicago after two periods. That could not have been a worse period for the Kings, who were totally flat. Outworked, outhustled and outskated in all three zones by the ’Hawks. Only question now is whether or not the Kings will make a game of it in the third…the outcome is already a virtual lock for Chicago…
Kings don’t look much better to start the third, but the ’Hawks have not been able to capitalize…
Michael Cammalleri scores his 16th goal of the season on the doorstep, taking a pass from Dustin Brown. Second assist goes to Anze Kopitar at 9:06. Of course, this is likely a case of “too little, too late…”
Then again, maybe not? Tom Preissing scores his sixth goal of the season from Cammalleri and Kopitar at 12:41. 5-3 now. And Ersberg has made several good saves…
Ersberg was pulled for the extra attacker at the 17:23 mark and O’Sullivan scored on a goal mouth scramble, assisted by Handzus and Frolov at 18:53…
Wow…Kopitar ties it with 13.3 seconds left after a huge play by Jack Johnson to prevent an empty-net goal, diving to block a shot at the Kings’ blue line. Assists on the goal to Frolov and Cammalleri at 19:45. Kopitar scores from the goal mouth and the game is heading into overtime…
Sharp wins it for Chicago in OT. More later…
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