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LAS VEGAS, NEVADA – MARCH 29: Nicolas Hague #14 of the Vegas Golden Knights goes after the puck against Blake Lizotte #46 and Carl Grundstrom #91 of the Los Angeles Kings in the first period of their game at T-Mobile Arena on March 29, 2021 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images)
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LAS VEGAS, NEVADA – MARCH 29: Dustin Brown #23 of the Los Angeles Kings takes a shot against Robin Lehner #90 of the Vegas Golden Knights as William Karlsson #71 of the Golden Knights defends in the first period of their game at T-Mobile Arena on March 29, 2021 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images)
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LAS VEGAS, NEVADA – MARCH 29: Jeff Carter #77, Matt Roy #3 and Trevor Moore #12 of the Los Angeles Kings celebrate after Roy scored a first-period goal against the Vegas Golden Knights during their game at T-Mobile Arena on March 29, 2021 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images)
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LAS VEGAS, NEVADA – MARCH 29: The Los Angeles Kings celebrate a first-period goal by Matt Roy #3 against the Vegas Golden Knights during their game at T-Mobile Arena on March 29, 2021 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images)
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LAS VEGAS, NEVADA – MARCH 29: William Carrier #28 of the Vegas Golden Knights pushes Blake Lizotte #46 of the Los Angeles Kings into the boards in the first period of their game at T-Mobile Arena on March 29, 2021 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images)
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LAS VEGAS, NEVADA – MARCH 29: Trevor Moore #12 of the Los Angeles Kings passes the puck against the Vegas Golden Knights in the first period of their game at T-Mobile Arena on March 29, 2021 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images)
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LAS VEGAS, NEVADA – MARCH 29: Reilly Smith #19 and Mark Stone #61 of the Vegas Golden Knights celebrate after Stone assisted Smith on a second-period power-play goal against the Los Angeles Kings during their game at T-Mobile Arena on March 29, 2021 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images)
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LAS VEGAS, NEVADA – MARCH 29: Jonathan Quick #32 and Matt Roy #3 of the Los Angeles Kings looks back after Reilly Smith #19 of the Vegas Golden Knights scored a second-period power-play goal with an assist from Mark Stone #61 of the Golden Knights against the Los Angeles Kings during their game at T-Mobile Arena on March 29, 2021 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images)
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LAS VEGAS, NEVADA – MARCH 29: Jonathan Quick #32 and Matt Roy #3 of the Los Angeles Kings watch a shot from Reilly Smith #19 of the Vegas Golden Knights score on a second-period power-play goal with an assist from Mark Stone #61 of the Golden Knights against the Los Angeles Kings during their game at T-Mobile Arena on March 29, 2021 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images)
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LAS VEGAS, NEVADA – MARCH 29: Drew Doughty #8 of the Los Angeles Kings yells to Mark Stone #61 of the Vegas Golden Knights from the bench in the second period of their game at T-Mobile Arena on March 29, 2021 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images)
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LAS VEGAS, NEVADA – MARCH 29: Dylan Coghlan #52, Zach Whitecloud #2, Tomas Nosek #92 and William Carrier #28 of the Vegas Golden Knights celebrate after Nosek scored a second-period goal against the Los Angeles Kings during their game at T-Mobile Arena on March 29, 2021 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images)
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LAS VEGAS, NEVADA – MARCH 29: Drew Doughty #8 of the Los Angeles Kings yells to Mark Stone #61 of the Vegas Golden Knights from the bench in the second period of their game at T-Mobile Arena on March 29, 2021 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images)
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LAS VEGAS, NEVADA – MARCH 29: Zach Whitecloud #2, and Tomas Nosek #92 of the Vegas Golden Knights celebrate after Whitecloud assisted Nosek on a second-period goal against the Los Angeles Kings during their game at T-Mobile Arena on March 29, 2021 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images)
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LAS VEGAS, NEVADA – MARCH 29: Matt Roy #3 of the Los Angeles Kings skates with the puck ahead of Chandler Stephenson #20 of the Vegas Golden Knights in the second period of their game at T-Mobile Arena on March 29, 2021 in Las Vegas, Nevada. The Golden Knights defeated the Kings 4-1. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images)
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LAS VEGAS, NEVADA – MARCH 29: Jonathan Quick #32 of the Los Angeles Kings defends the net against Mark Stone #61 of the Vegas Golden Knights in the second period of their game at T-Mobile Arena on March 29, 2021 in Las Vegas, Nevada. The Golden Knights defeated the Kings 4-1. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images)
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LAS VEGAS, NEVADA – MARCH 29: Jonathan Quick #32 of the Los Angeles Kings defends the net against Mark Stone #61 of the Vegas Golden Knights in the second period of their game at T-Mobile Arena on March 29, 2021 in Las Vegas, Nevada. The Golden Knights defeated the Kings 4-1. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images)
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LAS VEGAS, NEVADA – MARCH 29: Drew Doughty #8 and Jonathan Quick #32 of the Los Angeles Kings defend the net against Mark Stone #61 of the Vegas Golden Knights in the second period of their game at T-Mobile Arena on March 29, 2021 in Las Vegas, Nevada. The Golden Knights defeated the Kings 4-1. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images)
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LAS VEGAS, NEVADA – MARCH 29: Tobias Bjornfot #33 and Jonathan Quick #32 of the Los Angeles Kings defend the net against Max Pacioretty #67 of the Vegas Golden Knights in the second period of their game at T-Mobile Arena on March 29, 2021 in Las Vegas, Nevada. The Golden Knights defeated the Kings 4-1. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images)
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LAS VEGAS, NEVADA – MARCH 29: Alec Martinez #23 of the Vegas Golden Knights skates on the ice after being named the first star of the game following the team’s 4-1 victory over the Los Angeles Kings at T-Mobile Arena on March 29, 2021 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images)
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LAS VEGAS, NEVADA – MARCH 29: Reilly Smith #19 of the Vegas Golden Knights shoots a plastic flamingo into the net after the team’s 4-1 victory over the Los Angeles Kings at T-Mobile Arena on March 29, 2021 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images)
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LAS VEGAS, NEVADA – MARCH 29: Dylan Coghlan #52, Zach Whitecloud #2, Tomas Nosek #92 and William Carrier #28 of the Vegas Golden Knights celebrate after Nosek scored a second-period goal against the Los Angeles Kings during their game at T-Mobile Arena on March 29, 2021 in Las Vegas, Nevada. The Golden Knights defeated the Kings 4-1. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images)
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LAS VEGAS, NEVADA – MARCH 29: Robin Lehner #90 of the Vegas Golden Knights makes a save against Blake Lizotte #46 of the Los Angeles Kings in the third period of their game at T-Mobile Arena on March 29, 2021 in Las Vegas, Nevada. The Golden Knights defeated the Kings 4-1. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images)
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LAS VEGAS, NEVADA – MARCH 29: Drew Doughty #8 of the Los Angeles Kings shoots against Robin Lehner #90 of the Vegas Golden Knights in the third period of their game at T-Mobile Arena on March 29, 2021 in Las Vegas, Nevada. The Golden Knights defeated the Kings 4-1. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images)
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LAS VEGAS, NEVADA – MARCH 29: Reilly Smith #19 and Mark Stone #61 of the Vegas Golden Knights celebrate after Stone assisted Smith on a second-period power-play goal against the Los Angeles Kings during their game at T-Mobile Arena on March 29, 2021 in Las Vegas, Nevada. The Golden Knights defeated the Kings 4-1. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images)
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LAS VEGAS, NEVADA – MARCH 29: Zach Whitecloud #2 of the Vegas Golden Knights gets a rebound after Robin Lehner #90 of the Golden Knights blocked a shot by Drew Doughty #8 of the Los Angeles Kings in the third period of their game at T-Mobile Arena on March 29, 2021 in Las Vegas, Nevada. The Golden Knights defeated the Kings 4-1. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images)
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LAS VEGAS, NEVADA – MARCH 29: Shea Theodore #27, Alec Martinez #23 and Robin Lehner #90 of the Vegas Golden Knights celebrate on the ice after the team’s 4-1 victory over the Los Angeles Kings at T-Mobile Arena on March 29, 2021 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images)
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LAS VEGAS, NEVADA – MARCH 29: Alec Martinez #23 of the Vegas Golden Knights celebrates with teammates on the bench after scoring a third-period goal against the Los Angeles Kings during their game at T-Mobile Arena on March 29, 2021 in Las Vegas, Nevada. The Golden Knights defeated the Kings 4-1. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images)
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LAS VEGAS, NEVADA – MARCH 29: Jonathan Quick #32 of the Los Angeles Kings makes a save against Keegan Kolesar #55 of the Vegas Golden Knights in the third period of their game at T-Mobile Arena on March 29, 2021 in Las Vegas, Nevada. The Golden Knights defeated the Kings 4-1. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images)
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Los Angeles Kings center Jeff Carter (77) celebrates after defenseman Matt Roy, right, scored against the Vegas Golden Knights during the first period of an NHL hockey game Monday, March 29, 2021, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/John Locher)
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Vegas Golden Knights goaltender Robin Lehner (90) blocks a shot by Los Angeles Kings right wing Dustin Brown (23) during the first period of an NHL hockey game Monday, March 29, 2021, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/John Locher)
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Los Angeles Kings center Trevor Moore (12) knocks Vegas Golden Knights defenseman Zach Whitecloud (2) to the ice during the first period of an NHL hockey game Monday, March 29, 2021, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/John Locher)
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Los Angeles Kings center Anze Kopitar (11) attempts a shot against the Vegas Golden Knights during the first period of an NHL hockey game Monday, March 29, 2021, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/John Locher)
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Vegas Golden Knights celebrate after right wing Reilly Smith, second from left, scored against the Los Angeles Kings during the second period of an NHL hockey game Monday, March 29, 2021, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/John Locher)
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Vegas Golden Knights celebrate after left wing Tomas Nosek, second from right, scored against the Los Angeles Kings during the second period of an NHL hockey game Monday, March 29, 2021, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/John Locher)
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Vegas Golden Knights celebrate after defenseman Nicolas Hague, second from left, scored against the Los Angeles Kings during the second period of an NHL hockey game Monday, March 29, 2021, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/John Locher)
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Vegas Golden Knights left wing William Carrier (28) passes around Los Angeles Kings left wing Austin Wagner (27) during the second period of an NHL hockey game Monday, March 29, 2021, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/John Locher)
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Vegas Golden Knights right wing Keegan Kolesar (55) vies for the puck with Los Angeles Kings defenseman Mikey Anderson (44) and defenseman Drew Doughty (8) during the second period of an NHL hockey game Monday, March 29, 2021, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/John Locher)
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Golden Knights defenseman Alec Martinez (23) scores past Kings goaltender Jonathan Quick during the third period of Monday’s game in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/John Locher)
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Los Angeles Kings left wing Austin Wagner (27) tries to skate around Vegas Golden Knights defenseman Nicolas Hague (14) during the third period of an NHL hockey game Monday, March 29, 2021, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/John Locher)
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Vegas Golden Knights center William Karlsson (71) and center Cody Glass (9) celebrate after defeating the Los Angeles Kings in an NHL hockey game Monday, March 29, 2021, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/John Locher)
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Los Angeles Kings defenseman Drew Doughty (8) attempts a shot on Vegas Golden Knights goaltender Robin Lehner (90) during the third period of an NHL hockey game Monday, March 29, 2021, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/John Locher)
As the stakes have been raised, the Kings have been prone to folding, as they did once more in a 4-1 loss to the Vegas Golden Knights on Monday night at T-Mobile Arena.
Vegas clung to its one-point division lead after second-place Colorado beat the Ducks. The Kings, losers of three straight, failed to gain ground on fifth-place Arizona or fourth-place St. Louis, both idle on Monday, and saw San Jose join them in a tie for sixth place in points, though the Kings still have a comfortable tiebreaker advantage over the Sharks.
The Kings, playing their first game since Wednesday, their longest layoff this season, broke strong to start the game and improved their defense against rush opportunities as well as long passes. But Vegas proved savvy and opportunistic as it pulled away in the second period, scoring three goals off plays that originated below the end line.
“I thought we had a good start, and then they started playing better. We didn’t quite match it,” Kings captain Anze Kopitar said.
Defenseman Matt Roy scored for the Kings. Jonathan Quick came up with just 20 saves, though all four goals came off shots whose degrees of difficulty ranged from challenging to impossible. Quick came into the game with a 6.05 goals-against average and an .814 save percentage in two appearances against Vegas this season.
Winger Reilly Smith, center Tomas Nosek and defenseman Nicolas Hague scored for Vegas, as did former Kings defenseman Alec Martinez. Winger Jonathan Marchessault had two assists. Robin Lehner backstopped Vegas to its eighth win in its last 11 games, making 24 saves.
As their power-play has dried up a bit, the Kings’ offense has been all but completely desiccated. As they have dropped six of their last eight games, they have scored only seven goals in their six losses, and none on the power play.
“We need to find some consistency,” Kings coach Todd McLellan said of his forwards. “We’ve got to get a two-way game going with nine consistent players on a consistent basis.”
Vegas could afford to assume a defensive posture and emphasize possession over shots in the third period, but the hosts scored a back-breaking goal nonetheless.
A transition play saw the Kings outnumbered three-on-two. Winger Keegan Kolesar made a powerful move to the inside, which Quick countered with a poke check involving his stick and then his right pad. The puck squirted past center Cody Glass to Martinez, who eased a wrist shot past a vulnerable Quick with 7:25 left.
A hooking penalty against winger Carl Grundstrom opened the door for a tying goal by Vegas early in the second period, when they broke the game open. Right off the hop, Vegas won the draw and got a dangerous shot attempt from Marchessault.
Just past the 4-minute mark, winger Mark Stone set up along the goal line and sent the puck to Marchessault in the slot. Quick thwarted a backdoor play for Stone, but Smith pounced on the loose puck for a backhand goal. It was the first power-play goal the Kings had allowed in their last 10 games, a stretch that raised their penalty kill percentage to third in the NHL.
One marquee defensemen from each side disrupted opposing rushes. First Vegas rearguard Shea Theodore tracked down winger Austin Wagner on a partial breakaway, limiting the quality of Wagner’s shot. Later, Kings blue-liner Drew Doughty broke up a two-on-one rush between Stone and Kolesar.
Vegas took its first lead of the game with 3:32 left in the middle frame. Nosek battled along the end boards to secure the puck, which was moved high to defenseman Zach Whitecloud. His missed shot from the right point banged off the end boards and popped out on the left side of the net, where Nosek was waiting for a tap-in tally.
A mere 86 seconds later, the Kings had all five defenders below the hash marks as Vegas controlled the puck behind the net. A pass to the wide-open Hague in the high slot saw him fire a snap shot past Quick.
Nosek has two goals and an assist in five games against the Kings, but just six points in his other 20 appearances. Hague has five of his 13 points (over 30 games) this season in five meetings with the Kings.
The Kings’ misfortunes were compounded by a delay of game penalty at the end of the period, but the penalty kill came through for the second time in three opportunities.
The Kings played a solid first period, beginning with a goal just one minute into the game.
Off an offensive-zone faceoff win, center Gabe Vilardi, winger Jeff Carter and Roy zipped the puck around the right side of the ice. Roy rifled a shot from above the right circle past Lehner, through a screen and to the stick side.
Carter had a sterling chance later in the period, as did winger Dustin Brown. The Kings also earned the only power play of the period (one of three on the night), they won 62 percent of their faceoffs in the opening frame and were out-shooting Vegas 10-3 at one point.
“If you can get up another one or two, you have a cushion for some of the mistakes that we made,” McLellan said. “From that point on, I still didn’t think we played a real poor game. It’s a hard game to evaluate right now.”
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