In the first two games of the first-round series, we had all the reason in the world to criticize the Los Angeles Kings’ performance but convenient reasons to forgive the failings. Game 3 finally saw the Kings with a full-strength (minus one Derek Forbort) lineup at home, and no excuses. For most of the game, it looked like LA wouldn’t need excuses. And yet, as Tyler Toffoli was stopped on several chances, and power plays went by the wayside, and the second period ended with the Kings again stuck on one goal... well, the ending wasn’t surprising, and the excuse wasn’t good enough because it’s the one we all tried using for the last few years.