Los Angeles Kings fans have been watching the same scenario since the start of the season. They have now performed in 10 games in overtime this season, tying the Edmonton Oilers for first place in the league, and tonight’s loss to the Boston Bruins puts them 4-0-6 in overtime periods, the most overtime losses of any team.
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Even though he dominated his opponent on penalties 32-26For the second consecutive game, the Kings once again failed in overtime, scoring only one goal with 32 shots, that’s the whole story.
The Los Angeles Kings can play well enough and come back from leads to force overtime; they can even dominate long periods of play, but when the clock hits zero, something always happens.
Then it’s déjà vu in the extra periods; everything turns to dust.
On Friday night, after suffering another shootout loss to the Sharks last night, the Kings once again suffered back-to-back overtime losses, falling 2-1 to the Boston Bruins. It is no coincidence that the same ending is repeated several times; it’s a pattern and it’s frustrating to watch.
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Kings followed the same ending on a different night
If you’ve watched the Kings play all season, you’ve already seen this movie. They fight back, get the tying goal, generate more shots and chances than their opponent, and then, when it matters most, they collapse in overtime.
Joel Armia scored Los Angeles’ only goal midway through the third period, giving the Kings the momentum needed to stay in the game. Once overtime began, the same scenario repeated itself: missed assignments, misreads and the Bruins immediately capitalized, and Morgan Geekie scored his second goal of the game to win the hearts of the Kings.
Overtime is a responsibility
The Kings aren’t overworked and don’t lose much; they fail to finish matches in a format that has haunted them on several occasions: 3-on-3 overtime.
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LA just seems less confident once the game hits sudden death. Back-to-back overtime losses reveal a problem the Kings haven’t fixed, and opposing teams will use it against them when games count.
Right now, the story isn’t that they’re losing, it’s that they’re losing the same way, and everyone continues to see that. Until the Kings break the script, the momentum won’t swing in their favor and the frustration will only grow.
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