The Bruins once again failed to earn two points in the Eastern Conference standings, losing 3-2 in a shootout to the Kings on Saturday night at the TD Garden.
Kings 3, Bruins 2
TD Garden, Boston, Mass.
Jan. 30, 2010
Headliner: When the Kings score, Anze Kopitar is usually in the middle of it, and that was the case on Saturday night. Kopitar picked up his 32nd assist of the season on the Kings' first goal of the game — a Dustin Brown tip-in. And after the Kings went down a goal early in the third, Kopitar recorded his 23rd goal of the year with a wrist shot to tie the game at 2.
Grinder: Two of the three Team USA goalies played in the game on Saturday with Tim Thomas opposing Jonathan Quick. While the two were equal in regulation with each allowing two goals, Quick came out on top in the shootout. Quick saved four of the six shots he faced in the shootout to hang on long enough for Jarret Stoll to put the shootout winner past Thomas.
Weak Link: On a night when the Bruins needed their penalty kill to step up and win them a game, it did the opposite. Even though all the goals in the game were scored on the power play, the Bruins finally produced with the man advantage, but were able to keep the puck out of the net when shorthanded. The Bruins just can't seem to put it all together right now, and against the Kings, it was their penalty kill that faltered.
Key Moment: The Bruins began to play with intensity and urgency in the second period and it led to them tying the game at 1. The Bruins' momentum carried over to the third period, as they jumped out to a 2-1 lead just 1:20 into the third. But David Krejci took a hooking penalty that gave some momentum back to the Kings, and the Kings capitalized with the equalizer just 3:09 after the Bruins took the lead.
What's Next: The Bruins have a pair of days off before hosting three straight games at the Garden. The Bruins return to action on Tuesday against the Capitals, host the Canadiens on Thursday and the Canucks on Saturday. After completing the homestand, the Bruins head out on the road for four straight before the Olympic break.
