Los Angeles found themselves coming off of a tough loss in St. Louis to the Blues and needed a nice rebound win over the Blackhawks to get back on the right track. The first 20 minutes were the best of the game for the Kings as they tallied 4 goals to secure a commanding lead. Pierre-Luc Dubois was first to get Los Angeles on the board with his 15th of the year via the power-play. His score was shortly followed by one from Alex Laferriere, whose 10th of the season had the Kings up 2-0 just 5 and a half minutes into the contest. Next, it was time for Anze Kopitar to take things into his own hands.
He closed out the period with back-to-back goals and eclipsed the 20-score mark on the season. In the second, Jordan Spence got involved in the fun with his very first goal the season. The 5-0 Los Angeles lead would carry into the third and final period, where Cam Talbot kept Chicago off the board once and for all. It was a dominant shutout win for the Kings that got them right back in the win column.
Here are three takeaways from the game:
Kopitar eclipses 20-goal mark yet again
The 2023-2024 season has been business as usual for captain Anze Kopitar, who led the attack for the Kings on Friday night. His first score of the night came on a beautiful assist from Quinton Byfield, who set up Kopitar perfectly for an easy rocket into the net.
6 minutes later, he struck again as another incredibly flashy pass from Byfield left Kopitar with an easy chance to knock the puck into the net from short distance.
Now at 20 goals this season, Kopitar has reached the mark for the 13th time in his NHL career. He has officially claimed the title as the man with the most such seasons in Kings’ history, breaking a three-way tie with Luc Robitaille, Dave Taylor, and Marcel Dionne. He is now just one point shy of tying Patrick Marleau for 52nd on the all-time points list. With another 4 points, he will become the second skater in Kings’ history to hit the 1,200-career point mark. Additionally, his two scores helped him to secure the 46th multi-score game in his career, passing Wayne Gretzky and holding the 5th-most in franchise history. It was another night of legendary accomplishments for Kopitar as he and the rest of the squad will exit Chicago with one of their most well-rounded wins of the season.
Cam Talbot grabs win number 20 in big-time fashion
The Kings operated as a well-oiled machine against the Blackhawks, with both the attack and defense bringing their best. While Los Angeles took care of the scoring with 5 goals in the first 2 periods, Cam Talbot made sure to hold things down the entire way. He moved with precision and intensity as Chicago did not score once on their 28 shots throughout the game.
It was the third shutout of the season for Talbot as well as the 31st of his career. The W was his 20th of the season, giving him his sixth season with 20 or more victories. It was a dominant showing that helped the Kings secure the first game of three that they will play against the Blackhawks this season. The performance was a much-needed one for Talbot, who had lost his last 2 outings and was desperate for a bounce-back showing to find his groove once again. Los Angeles can thank him for his phenomenal defense and a stress-free W on Friday night.
Dubois scores, assists in 500th-career game
Playing in his first season with the Los Angeles Kings, Pierre-Luc Dubois eclipsed the 500-career game mark in the team’s win over Chicago. It was a solid game for the 25-year-old, who scored and assisted in a two-point night.
He found the net early on to get the Kings on the board, taking advantage of a fortunate bounce that left him with a perfect opportunity to cash in on the rebound. He then provided the assist on Alex Laferriere’s score, giving him his second point. Dubois became the 12th different player to score in their 500th career game while wearing a Kings uniform. He is also just the 5th Kings’ skater to deliver multiple points in their 500th career game. It was a perfect way to celebrate the milestone for Dubois, and he was a major factor in the victory for Los Angeles.
The Kings will now head to Dallas as they take on a familiar foe, the Stars, on Saturday night. Dallas has had the Kings number so far this season, handing them 5-1 and 4-1 losses in their two previous matchups. Los Angeles would love to get a taste of revenge on the road and hinder Dallas’ efforts toward claiming sole possession of first place in the Central Division.
The game is scheduled to begin at 5:00 p.m. PT.
