In 2014, the Kings are the highest-scoring team in the playoffs at 3.25 goals per game. That has a lot to do with the big guns, Anze Kopitar and Marian Gaborik, leading the way with a combined 14 goals and 35 points in 16 games, not to mention Game 7 dynamo Justin Williams having six goals and 12 points.
However, it's the Kings' second line—a moniker that may not apply in the same way it would for other second lines—that's making the biggest difference.
Tanner Pearson, Jeff Carter and Tyler Toffoli combined for four goals and seven points as the Kings rallied from a 2-0 deficit to beat the Chicago Blackhawks 6-2 in Game 2 of the Western Conference Final to even the best-of-seven series at 1-1.
Carter had a hat trick and Toffoli scored as well during a five-goal third period that changed the complexion of the series.
The always eloquent Darryl Sutter summed up the effort of that trio after the game.
"Yeah, he [Carter] scored a big power-play goal right away," the coach explained to the media afterward, "and then the line scored two goals and an empty-netter."
OK, so that really wasn't all that insightful. It was more of a factual statement.
But Pearson, Carter and Toffoli were the biggest reason the Kings aren't staring at a 2-0 hole as they head home to Los Angeles for Game 3 on Saturday night.
"I didn’t really have to do too much for them," Carter said of his three goals. "Stood in front of them for the first one. [Matt Greene] and Tanner made a great play on the second one. It was a good period, but didn’t really have to do too much."
The way Sutter deploys and shuffles his lines, it's hard to call Pearson-Carter-...
Article Source: Bleacher Report - Los Angeles Kings
