They should have been licking their chops because they faced Dallas Stars rookie goaltender Richard Bachman, who was making his first career start in net in the National Hockey League.
On a night that should've fired them up to channel their inner Bernie Nicholls, the Kings lost their fourth straight game and fell to the Stars, 2-1 ,at Staples Center Saturday night in Los Angeles.
It was "Legends" night at Staples Center, and they honored one of the Kings' most prolific scorers in team history. Nicholls scored an astounding 70 goals in the 1988-89 season and added 80 assists for a Wayne Gretzky-like 150 points. Only five players in NHL history have scored that many points in a season.
Certainly, the team would score a bevy of goals on this night, right?
Dead last in the NHL in scoring, the Kings did nothing to improve on this depressing statistic, or much to impress Nicholls.
In fact, the only Kings goal scored on this night was by Brad Richardson short-handed in the second period.
Anze Kopitar poke-checked forward Michael Ryder's stick handle at the blue line. The puck deflected off Ryder's stick and drifted deep into the Stars zone. Richardson chased down the puck, raced in on a 2-on-1 with Kopitar and scored on a beautiful stick handle, beating Bachman five-hole. It was Richardson's first goal of the season.
It was the only excitement in the evening, other than the Nicholls tribute video at the beginning of the game.
Unfortunately, Stars defenseman Trevor Daley answered minutes later with the game-winner and his second goal of the season, making the score 2-1.
The Kings were uninspired and undisciplined.
Justin Willams' careless offensive zone penalty for high sticking led to the Stars' first goal in the first period. It was one of several offensive zone penaltie...
Article Source: Bleacher Report - Los Angeles Kings
