Kings at Canadiens: Suck It, Canada

So you always go into a game with some vague expectations as to what will happen. Literally nothing that I thought would happen happened.

Actually, the game started kind of how I thought it would. Drew Doughty opened the game with a tripping penalty 38 seconds in, and I figure that it’s just the start of 60 minutes full of inexplicable penalties in Kings typical fashion. In reality, it was just an opportunity for Martin Jones to show the Habs what he’s made of.

Hmmmmm, you don’t seem like a rookie goalie here, bud.

Everyone kept it pretty straight and simple, nothing too cute about the Kings play. Nolan opened up the scoring in the first by burying it in the back of the net off of a rebound from Mitchell’s shot as he came off the bench.

Textbook crashing the net to get to the rebound.

The Kings kept it together for the rest of the period, staying strong defensively, perfect on the PK, and Martin Jones cleaning everything else up. Considering the fact that he had more saves in the first period than he did the entirety of the Islanders game, he sure put up a great first period showing.

Then, to put the cherry on top of a good first period, Anze Kopitar wrists one past Carey Price off a faceoff win in the offensive zone with 13 seconds to go. Because why the hell not.

Not the devastating first period that I was half anticipating, but oh would it get better.

A mere 2 minutes into the second, Alec Martinez scores his first of the season on a goal that possibly should have been disallowed due to goaltender interference, but we’ll take it, and I’m sure he will too.

Clifford screening the goalie a little too enthusiastically maybe.

At this point, I’m worried that everyone will score their first goals and Trevor Lewis will continue to languish, scoreless.

Your day will come. Soon. I hope. Oh god please.

Tyler Toffoli continues his delightful rookie run with a goal after a scramble in front of the net. His goal is the one that sends Price running, and goaltender Peter Budaj comes in to take over the goaltending duties.

This is his 14th point in 17 games played. Stay forever Top Titty.

The next goal is my absolute favorite of this game because it made me scream, “WHAT IS EVEN HAPPENING?” to Chanelle and the world at large. The Kings go on the power play, and of course, I expect a big load of nothing to come of it. Instead,  Jake Muzzin scores a power play goal, breaking the Kings’ goalless powerplay streak.

This is when I knew that the Kings had this game. This right here.

Halfway through the game, this was the apex for me. No one was done with the scoring goals business though. Justin Williams continued with this goal party as he backhanded the Kings’ 4th goal this period past Budaj.

Four goals! During the typically dismal 2nd period! Bring me some smelling salts because I can’t even handle this! I guess we didn’t need the salts after all because the Kings didn’t score any goals in the 3rd (how dare they), but they didn’t allow any either.

As for the Canadiens:

Sort of.

Bob Miller ended the 3rd by helpfully informing listeners about Montreal’s streaks and nice things that are ending because of their brutal defeat. This was Carey Price’s first game being pulled. This marks the first time the Kings have shut out the Canadiens EVER, and the first time they beat them in their own barn since December 11, 1999. This ended the Habs win streak.

Me, basically.

The Kings organization put together a pretty rad list of achievements and milestones that this Kings team has accomplished thus far. As it tends to be, it was a cohesive team effort by the Kings to pull out this dominant win. 6 different Kings potted goals, and 6 Kings had a two point night. I uttered a “Daaaaamn, Muzzin!” instead of a “Dammit, Muzzin!” when I realized he didn’t take a dumb penalty to go along with his PPG.

Who is this Kings team who shut down one of the top teams in the East and scored an uncharacteristic 6 goals? I’m not saying that they’re demons or anything, but.