The Kings have a goaltending problem.
Pheonix Copley saved their season by winning 12 of 14 decisions following his Dec. 1 promotion from the American Hockey League, putting up numbers that were about average for an NHL goalie but looked like precious gems to the Kings, who had stayed afloat while Cal Petersen flailed his way to a demotion and Jonathan Quick showed signs of age and persistent shakiness.
The entire team played better in front of Copley than it had played in front of Quick, probably subconsciously, and their diligence reduced the danger of the shots Copley had to face. Copley was never going to be the long-term answer in net, but his teammates rallied around the career minor-leaguer who came out of nowhere to supplant two-time Stanley Cup champion Quick and gave them respectable goaltending when they most needed it.
That happy bubble burst on Thursday. Copley gave up a flurry of soft goals and was replaced by Quick in the second period of a 4-0 loss to the Dallas Stars in the Kings’ final home game before a six-game trip that begins Saturday in Nashville.
Copley yielded four goals on 17 shots, the last goal — a wraparound by former Junior King Jason Robertson of Arcadia scored at 7:27 of the second period — being enough to persuade coach Todd McLellan to yank him. Quick stopped all seven shots he faced. But that included only two shots in the third period while Dallas, which had blown a three-goal lead at San Jose on Wednesday, made sure recent history wouldn’t repeat itself.
McLellan had considered switching goalies after the Stars scored three times in the first period, but he wanted Copley to get more ice time in the goalie’s first game in eight days, which also was the team’s first game after a four-day break. That fourth goal, celebrated exuberantly by Robertson’s extended family in a suite high above the ice, was the breaking point for the Kings, who were shut out for the third time this season and first time at Crypto.com Arena. They won’t play at home again until Feb. 11 because they must vacate the arena for the Grammys and then have the NHL All-Star break and a week off.
They’re still third in the Pacific division and only two points behind leader Seattle. But they’re also only one point ahead of…