A show of hands, please, for those who predicted that the spell that goalie Keith Kinkaid held over the Kings would be broken by Brendan Leipsic and Kyle Clifford.
Leipsic is a journeyman who had never played the New Jersey Devils before Thursday. Clifford is a depth forward with no goals in 11 previous games against the Devils. They and Adrian Kempe beat Kinkaid, and it still wasn’t enough to keep the Kings’ ship from sinking and one of their leaders from venting.
“It’s pathetic. It’s embarrassing. It’s frustrating,” said Drew Doughty after a 6-3 loss at Staples Center.