CHICAGO -- The Los Angeles Kings surrendered an early lead and fell 2-1 to the Chicago Blackhawks at United Center on Tuesday, closing out their five-game road trip with a loss.
For this being their second game of a back-to-back and final game of the road trip, the Kings started off very fast.
The Kings struck first immediately after an opening-shift goal from the fourth line, as center Samuel Helenius knocked in a loose puck that was wrested on-net by Jared Wright. Wright's shot trickled between the legs of Blackhawks' goaltender Spencer Knight, and was subsequently knocked in after a stick battle in the crease.
The goal marked Helenius' first point of the season. Andre Lee and Wright each picked up an assist on the goal.
Chicago, working from a 1-0 deficit, pushed hard in the second period to find an equalizer. At the 14:26 mark of the second, Joel Armia was called for a tripping penalty on Blackhawks' center Anton Frondell.
Kings' goaltender Anton Forsberg neutralized the Blackhawks' power play with a pair of nice saves late, however Armia drew an interference penalty as he received the puck while leaving the penalty box. The Kings, without their best penalty killer for four consecutive minutes, immediately allowed the tying goal 11 seconds into the second penalty to Roman Kantserov.
Kantserov's goal at 16:40 in the second was his fifth of the season, assisted by Connor Bedard and Teuvo Teravainen.
The Kings gained a huge advantage late in the second period after Armia drew a high-sticking double minor penalty against Blackhawks' defenseman Sam Rinzel.
To kickoff the third period, the Kings had nearly three minutes of power play time - however they only mustered one shot on goal while in the advantage.
"We've got to be better in that area out on the power play. We had one last game, I was hoping that it was going to build some confidence off of that," said Kings right winger Adrian Kempe. "We've got to be better. We've got to be better at communicating, passes - just everything."
Unable to grasp any momentum, the Kings gave up a goal shortly after the failed power play, as Blackhawks' defenseman Wyatt Kaiser buried a wrist shot five-hole from the left face-off circle 7:17 into the period.
"We've been here too many times in the third period, 1-1, with a chance to win a game and we don't get it done. It's on us. We've got to get that done," Kings coach Peter Laviolette said. "The record could be a lot different if we're closing out third periods."
Kaiser's tiebreaker ended up being the difference, as Knight was nails to close the game - stopping the Kings' final three shots on goal and 25-of-26 on the night.
Forsberg, despite earning the loss, stopped 25-of-27 shots and singlehandedly kept the Kings in the game in the final two periods as the Blackhawks' offensive barrage rained down on him.
Looking ahead, the Kings return to Los Angeles for a seven-game home stand from Oct. 29 to Nov. 12. The Kings are 0-3-0 at home this season, however after winning three out of five games on the road they hope to return with newfound momentum.
"It sucks not winning the last game. From our start, going 3-2 is still a little bit of a positive for us. Obviously, it would be a lot better 4-1, so it stings on the way back here," Kings center Quinton Byfield said. "But from where we started, I feel like it's getting a lot better, and it's got to keep going that way."
