Game 9-10: Kings vs Anaheim Ducks 2:3 OTL, Kings @ Colorado Avalanche 1:6

Ryan Getzlaf dekes his shootout shot over
sprawled out Mathieu Garon for the Ducks win
(photo courtesy of www.pe.com)

Game 9: Los Angeles Kings vs Anaheim Ducks 2:3 OTL

LA goals from: Lubo Visnovsky, Mike Cammalleri
ANA goals from: Shannon, Penner, Getzlaf (SO winner)

The pros: Great start of the game, utter domination of the Ducks in period one. Two-goal lead that a more experienced team should be able to keep. Huge offensive and defensive effort by Anze Kopitar. Very few penalties from both sides. Good physical play of Dustin Brown on Pronger.

The cons: The lost lead and ensuing shootout loss. Unfortunate play by Mathieu Garon that resulted in a tying goal on a shot that was sailing wide left of the goal. A real heartbreaker of a game, given that for the first time this season the Ducks looked lost at times.

Says Garon on the unfortunate Penner shot:

"Maybe one in every 200 shots like that in practice goes in. You try to reach a little too far and just try to hit it a little bit, and instead of going wide, it goes in."

Game 10: Los Angeles Kings @ Colorado Avalanche 1:6

LA goal from: Derek Armstrong
COL goals from: Hejduk (2), Liles, Svatos, Stastny, Brunette

The pros: If this was supposed to be how the Kings bounce back from a heart-breaker, we need to try again. It does not show in the boxscore, but Dan Cloutier played really well.

The cons: Defensive indifference and questionable calls by the refs resulting in several 5-on-3 powerplays by the Avalanche really did this game in. The Kings really played like they were suffering from high altitude nausea in this one. If you look closely at most of the Colorado goals, the term "lucky bounce" springs to mind pretty naturally.

"We allowed too many chances and two many power plays to a team that can capitalize on them," said Los Angeles coach Marc Crawford. "Probably a result of playing a second game in two nights."