LOS ANGELES: Open ice and scoring chances were awfully scarce in the final Freeway Faceoff of the regular season, with Los Angeles and Anaheim both thinking about their postseason position and concentrating on play-off-style hockey.
Drew Doughty and the Kings made the most of what little they got.
Doughty had a goal and an assist, Jonathan Quick made 19 saves and the Kings crept closer to the Ducks atop the Pacific Division standings with a 2-1 victory yesterday.
Mike Richards scored the tiebreaking goal late in the second period as the defending Stanley Cup champions solidified their grip on a top-four seed in the Western Conference by holding off the powerful Ducks, who have lost two straight.
“Both teams were checking hard, playing well defensively and making sure they weren’t making any mistakes or turnovers,” Doughty said. “When two teams are doing that to the best of their ability, it’s hard to create.”
Los Angeles (24-14-4) trails division-leading Anaheim (27-10-5) by seven points with six games to play. The clubs split their four-game Freeway Faceoff series, with the home team winning each time.
But defense dominated until the third period at Staples Center. There wasn’t much of the frenetic energy of last weekend’s meeting in Anaheim, won 4-3 in a shootout by the Ducks.
“Everybody wants to make that big rivalry about the Ducks,” Doughty said. “There definitely is one, but it’s nothing out of the ordinary.”
Perhaps only a playoff series would change that: Fans already are hoping the Kings and Ducks will meet in the postseason for the first time in their 20 years together in the NHL.
Southern California’s two teams are enjoying their strongest simultaneous season, with Anaheim sitting in second place in the West for most of the season and the Kings closing in on a top-four seed for their title defense.
“I liked our team,” Los Angeles coach Darryl Sutter said.
“We just finished seven of 11 on the road, (along with a trip to) the White House, and managed to still win our home games while we were doing it. Without having one day off anywhere there, with all that traveling, I think all of our guys did a good job.”
Ryan Getzlaf scored a short-handed goal and Viktor Fasth stopped 16 shots for the Ducks, who have lost in their past five trips to Staples Center.
Anaheim is still in prime position for a strong playoff run, but coach Bruce Boudreau is worried about his club’s offense after second straight one-goal performance.
“We’re not scoring any goals,” Boudreau said. Agencies
