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The Washington Capitals knew it wasn't going to be easy going against the red-hot Los Angeles Kings, and that they'd have to fight for every inch. And though it was a hard-fought battle, Washington found itself on the losing end.
Here are the takeaways from the defeat:
Capitals Fail To Find Offense & Urgency, Power Play Struggles
The Capitals couldn't get much going in terms of offense, as the Kings were on top of them from the get-go. Coverage was tight and there wasn't a lot of space to work with, and Los Angeles did a good job of getting its sticks in the way. Not only that, but Washington struggled to get set up or find plays, and entires were an issue, as well.
Meanwhile, the Capitals' power play left quite a bit to be desired, as they failed to make clean passes or hold onto the puck, let alone find a shooting lane. D.C. ultimately went 0-for-3 in a game where a power-play goal could've made a major difference.
Familiar face Darcy Kuemper also deserves a lot of credit, putting up 18 saves for the shutout. Overall, the fire and urgency just wasn't there.
Rough Start To Third, Mistakes Prove Costly
Washington was in the game for quite a bit, with Charlie Lindgren coming up big time and time again, but the Kings were able to capitalize on some mistakes in coverage that proved costly.
The start of the third didn't go to plan for D.C., as Kevin Fiala was left wide open on the power play to make it 2-0 for the Kings. Then, just 47 seconds later, a failed breakout resulted in a turnover and 2-on-1 for Fiala and Quinton Byfield, who buried one from in tight to extend the lead to 3-0.
Ultimately, those lapses in coverage led to the loss, as did the inability to again, get off to a good start.
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