Joel Edmundson led the Los Angeles Kings to a 3-2 victory over Utah with an impressive performance, scoring two goals in the game. Brandt Clarke also contributed to the win with a goal and an assist, showcasing the team’s offensive prowess.
Edmundson, who was signed in free agency to bring more physicality to the Kings’ defense, displayed his offensive skills with his first career multigoal game. He demonstrated great positioning by scoring from the front of the crease off a pass from Anze Kopitar to give the Kings a 2-0 lead in the second period. He later extended the lead to 3-1 with a powerful shot from the blue line in the third period.
Goalie Darcy Kuemper played a crucial role in securing the win for the Kings, making 23 saves in his first start in nearly two weeks after recovering from a lower-body injury. On the other side, Clayton Keller and Logan Cooley scored for Utah, which suffered its third consecutive loss.
In other news, Nick Bjugstad made his debut for Utah after being sidelined for the first eight games of the season due to a back injury. Bjugstad, who had an impressive performance last season with 22 goals and 23 assists for Arizona, is expected to be a key contributor to the team as a middle-six center.
Meanwhile, Kevin Fiala of the Kings faced consequences for his penalties during the game, as he was benched for a significant portion of the second period and the entire third period. Coach Jim Hiller had warned the players about the impact on playing time for those who continued to take unnecessary penalties. Despite missing key defenseman Drew Doughty due to injury, the Kings have received strong offensive contributions from their blue line, with 24 points from defensemen in just nine games. Clarke, in particular, has been impressive with a goal and six assists.
Looking ahead, Utah will host the San Jose Sharks on Monday, while the Kings will visit the Sharks on Tuesday. The matchup between these teams promises to be exciting, as both will look to secure important wins in the competitive NHL season.
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