Late in the game in the final frame in the third period in the back end of back-to-back games in the Eastern Conference in the Atlantic Division, the Los Angeles Kings (26-23-15) and new interim head coach DJ Smith nearly got two hard-fought points in the standings in the West vs. the Boston Bruins (36-22-6).

Drew Doughty and the Los Angeles Kings get one point in an OT 2-1 loss to Boston on the road

The Kings fought hard defensively in a rock fight on the ice on Tuesday evening (March 10) against the Bruins on the road in Boston, in a 2-1 loss in overtime in extra time yesterday. There was a real playoff intensity on both ends of the ice, as the Kings held the Bruins to just 10 shots on goal and single-digit scoring chances offensively in the zone in the game’s first 30 minutes yesterday on the road.

Darcy Kuemper was solid in net for the Kings and Smith and the coaching staff on the road vs. Boston against the Bruins yesterday on the ice. Kuemper and the Kings held the Bruins scoreless on the scoreboard for the game’s first 40 minutes in the opening frame in the first period and the middle frame.

Yesterday’s game in the back end of back-to-backs for Smith and the Kings’ coaching staff on the ice on the road in Boston vs. the Bruins felt like a real playoff battle for over 60 minutes, and in overtime between these two teams in the East.

Defenseman Drew Doughty scored the game’s only goal for the Kings in the final frame in the third period. I also thought the Kings got great games offensively and on both ends of the ice from winger Trevor Moore and new veteran center Scott Laughton for the active roster lineup yesterday vs. Boston on the road.

The Bruins finally broke through on the scoreboard in the final frame in the third period in the middle of that frame, with about a dozen minutes left on the score clock yesterday. Mason Lohrei got the Bruins on the scoreboard about eight minutes into the final frame yesterday vs. the Kings offensively.

In the game’s final 25 minutes in the middle frame in the second period and the final frame yesterday on the road vs. the Bruins, Kuemper stopped double-digit high and medium-danger scoring chances in net (per Natural Stat Trick).

Doughty gave the Kings a clutch goal late in the final frame in the third period to tie the game up on the scoreboard and send the game to overtime in the extra frame on the road vs. Boston. Early in the extra frame in overtime yesterday vs. Boston, defenseman Charlie McAvoy ended the game on the scoreboard for the Bruins in 3-on-3 play.

Here are the takeaways from the Kings’ 2-1 overtime loss in a defensive battle on that side of the ice vs. the Bruins on the road in Boston in the back end of back-to-back games on March 10.

Drew Doughty comes up clutch late in the game

Doughty came up huge late in the game in the final frame in the third period yesterday, to help the Kings get a critical point in the standings in the West in the Pacific Division this regular season. His shot from the point on the blue line on defense deflected off of Bruins’ center Elias Lindholm defensively in the zone and went in the net past Boston goaltender Jeremy Swayman yesterday.

“Obviously not a high-scoring game, tight-checking. Both teams were competing really hard. Would have liked to come out with two points, but I think we can take a lot of good things from that game.”

Drew Doughty

Defensively, I thought Doughty and the Kings’ blue line group yesterday was fantastic and really buttoned up on that end of the ice in the zone vs. Boston on the road. Doughty and the Kings’ blue line on defense held the Bruins to under two dozen shots on goal and just three shots on the stat sheet in the opening frame in the first period yesterday.

Kings stay in the thick of the playoff battle picture in the Pacific Division

There wasn’t much momentum or scoring chances offensively on that end of the ice that the Kings and Smith were able to generate in the zone yesterday vs. Boston and in front of Swayman in the net. The Kings only had under 20 shots on goal and 10 high-danger scoring chances on the stat sheet vs. Boston on the road.

“Three games in four nights, coming from California with the time change to be right there, lose in overtime, we wanted the two points clearly, but essentially, it’s a tie. The way we came back and hung with it, I think it’s a lot of character from the guys.”

DJ Smith

On special teams on the power play unit on the 5-on-4 man advantage, the Kings were 0-of-2 offensively yesterday vs. the Bruins. The Kings fought hard defensively this regular season and on the road vs. the Bruins yesterday on the ice in the zone.

But the Kings still got one hard-fought and earned point in the standings in the West in the Pacific Division yesterday this regular season.