Mammoth's sluggish start too much to overcome in 4-2 loss to Kings

SALT LAKE CITY — On the same day it was announced that Logan Cooley will be out indefinitely due to a lower body injury, the Mammoth came out flat against the Kings in an eventual 4-2 loss.

Cooley was injured in Vancouver after his leg crashed into the goal post in Friday's 4-1 win against the Canucks, but Utah head coach Andre Tourgny declined to say if it was season-ending.

As for Monday's game, Utah fell into an early hole after Los Angeles netted two first period goals in their first game of a three-game home stand.

Both teams had early power-play chances, but the Kings were able to score the first goal of the night after a pass from Dylan Guenther missed his target and Los Angeles took the puck and went down the ice. Adrian Kempe then scored his 10th goal of the season on a backhand shot.

A couple minutes later, Kevin Fiala made an impressive pass across the ice to Joel Armia, who got behind Utah's defense and netted the game's second goal to give the Kings a 2-0 lead. Fiala assisted on both of Los Angeles' first period goals, extending his season point total to 21.

The Mammoth looked like it was going to answer with their own long pass, but Brandon Tanev was ruled offside after the Kings challenged the goal scored by Tanev, taking away what could have been the veteran's first goal of the season.

"They're an experienced team, they are structured, they defend really hard, and they made it tough on us in the first," Clayton Keller said.

Utah grabbed its second power-play of the period with 1:17 remaining, but had to wait until the second period to get a chance at cutting into the deficit. With just nine seconds remaining on the power play, Guenther scored the Mammoth's first goal of the night on a shot that snuck past Kuemper on a one-timer.

It was the team's fastest scored goal to begin a period this season and the fourth-fastest goal to start any period in franchise history.

A couple minutes later, Utah was back on a power play after Kempe was called for tripping. But Los Angeles was able to get the penalty kill to prevent the Mammoth from tying the game.

Entering the third period still trailing 2-1, Utah missed chances to score with a few shots off by a small margin. Anze Kopitar took advantage of a deflection near the goal and got the puck past Vejmelka to extend the Kings' lead.

The Mammoth weren't done, though, and finally got one of their shots near the goal to light the lamp as Keller secured his 10th goal of the season to give Utah life.

But a strong defense by Los Angeles prevented a game-tying goal when Joel Armia added an empty-net goal to give himself his second goal of the night to end a Mammoth comeback.

The Kings improve to 9-0-0 when leading after two periods of play, while Utah drops to 2-11-1 when trailing after two.

A rough first period ended up proving costly for Utah due to minor mistakes and lapses in effort that cost an early goal.

"Their first goal, they worked for it, and they made a good play," Tourgny said. "The second goal should have never happened. We're casual, and that's a difference in the game."

The Mammoth will look to get back in the win column on Wednesday against defending Stanley Cup champion Panthers as part of the team's three-game home stand.

"The game was there for us to win, the game was there," Tourgny said. "We need more urgency to start a game, and there will be another hell of a game against Florida. But we cannot give them anything. If they earn it, they earn it."

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