Kings at Wild: OMG A FULL 60!!!!!

Just when we were wrapping our heads around the hilarity of the notion that the Kings might just go 1-40 on the road this season and still somehow make the playoffs, they go and do this.

In a classic Sutter move, instead of playing Jonathan Quick in goal in back-to-back games, which usually reveals itself to be a terrible decision, he threw Martin Jones out for the second straight game, as if the idea of rest and rejuvenation is quite a foreign one. The same Jones who has looked decidedly average this season, having lost his last three starts, and only sporting a 1-3 record on the year.

Apparently that Sutter guy knows what he’s doing.

The Kings came out with a powerful start against one of the best Corsi teams in the league this season. While the Wild definitely had some pushback, Jones stood tall, and the Kings finally started capitalizing on their chances. Four times, to be precise, and all in the first period.

Richards, courtesy of Dwight King.

Brown sneaking one in for his 200th career goal.

Not really sure what Darcy Kuemper was doing here, but he wouldn’t be doing it much longer.

And just for good measure, Justin Williams with nine seconds to go in the first:

Justin Williams reminding us all that he can still get it.

And after one period, this is how the good people of Minnesota felt:

Wild might be drunk tonight

— Hockey Wilderness (@hockeywildernes) November 27, 2014

I am so upset at the Kings for not scoring in the last 9 seconds of the period.

— Jewels frm the Crown (@JFTC_Kings) November 27, 2014

 

You and me both.

While a definite part of me thought this was the kind of game the Kings would find a way to blow, they reminded us all they are still a pretty darn good team, and shut the door.

Jones gets his first shutout of the season (fifth of his career in 25 games, which is pretty astounding), and it was a shutout he definitely earned with some big saves. Dustin Brown scored his 200th career goal, becoming the ninth player in Kings history to accomplish that feat. And the Kings played that mythical 60-minute game that everyone keeps talking about.

Give thanks!