The Kings welcomed Justin Williams and Mike Richards back to Staples Center by taking an early lead on their team. The Capitals were outworked and outplayed throughout the first period, but the script would completely flip by the end of the third, and the Capitals would pile on to their phenomenal third period goal differential.
The Kings made the Capitals look downright silly in the first period at times. They consistently entered the zone with speed and space, cycled the puck relentlessly below the goal line, and made the Capitals' entry attempts look rather feeble.