Thompson Strikes Twice as Sabres Escape Los Angeles
Los Angeles got the better of this game for most of the night and still lost. Buffalo won 3-2 by making its fewer looks count, and the Kings could not finish enough of theirs.
The Kings out-attempted Buffalo 80-62 in shot attempts and created chances worth 3.33 expected goals (how many goals their looks should produce) to Buffalo's 2.75. Two goals was the return.
Corey Perry was the face of it. He fired 9 shots, more than anyone in the game, and scored once. Andre Lee added the other. Brandt Clarke and Quinton Byfield each rang a post.
Tage Thompson made the difference the other way, scoring two goals on eight shots. Buffalo's power play went 2 for 3, while the Kings scored just once on five chances. Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen stopped 27 of 29.
For a Kings club on the playoff bubble in the West, it's a night where the bounces went Buffalo's way, not a sign they were outplayed.
