The Kings managed to right their ship defensively Saturday, bottling up one of the NHL’s most prolific offenses.
Toronto Maple Leafs center Auston Matthews, left, takes the puck as Los Angeles Kings left wing Viktor Arvidsson reaches in during the first period of an NHL hockey game Saturday, Oct. 29, 2022, in Los Angeles.
Los Angeles Kings defenseman Sean Durzi, left, and Toronto Maple Leafs right wing Mitchell Marner battle for the puck during the first period of an NHL hockey game Saturday, Oct. 29, 2022, in Los Angeles. Toronto Maple Leafs goaltender Ilya Samsonov is scored on by Los Angeles Kings center Adrian Kempe during the second period of an NHL hockey game Saturday, Oct. 29, 2022, in Los Angeles.
Los Angeles Kings center Blake Lizotte, left, and Toronto Maple Leafs right wing William Nylander battle for the puck during the second period of an NHL hockey game Saturday, Oct. 29, 2022, in Los Angeles. Since last season’s Hart Trophy winner, Toronto center Auston Matthews, entered the league in 2016, only the Tampa Bay Lightning have scored more goals than the Maple Leafs. Matthews was held in check Saturday while the Kings looked more like the team that beat Tampa Bay convincingly Tuesday than the one that snatched defeat from the jaws of victory against the Winnipeg Jets Thursday.
The Kings cushioned their lead early in the third period and rode that edge to the final buzzer with limited threats from Toronto, which negated its late goal when winger Mitch Marner deflected it in with a high stick as well as its final power-play chance when a penalty against Matthews evened the sides. Before that, a point shot deflected at the last second with 5:44 remaining was thrwarted improbably by the pads of Petersen.