Column: Kings’ trip goes off rails in 5-0 loss to Maple Leafs

What could have been a memorable trip for the Kings, a trip in which they bonded during a two-day break before they won in Montreal and built a nine-point lead atop the Pacific Division, on Saturday became a journey that left them with gnawing regrets after a 5-0 loss to the Toronto Maple Leafs at Air Canada Centre.

Players insisted that if they had been able to bury some of the early chances they generated Saturday and if they had been more persistent about getting in Jonathan Bernier’s way instead of allowing him to see most of their 26 shots, they might have been able to end their six-game odyssey on a happy note. But Bernier, the former King who had recently been exiled to the minor leagues because of his shaky play, earned his first victory in 12 decisions this season and first shutout in nearly a year. That sent the Kings home with a 3-2-1 record on this journey and seven of a possible 12 points.

“You’re one point above .500 so I guess it is a successful trip,” left wing Milan Lucic said, “but at the end of the day, if we get the win tonight it ends up being a really good trip. Unfortunately, we weren’t able to make it a really good trip.”

Dustin Brown called it “an OK trip,” but OK simply isn’t good enough.

The Kings knew that, too, but after peppering Bernier in the first period they allowed the Maple Leafs to control play in the second and then to score four times on surprise starter Jhonas Enroth in a defensive meltdown.

“The third period was just not good at all in any way,” Brown said.

Bernier, traded by the Kings to Toronto in 2013, took an 0-8-3 record, 3.46 goals-against average and .883 save percentage into Saturday’s game. He started only because Coach Mike Babcock really had no choice, with James Reimer and Garret Sparks injured, but Bernier was up to the challenge.

“I’ve had tough times but I was saying to myself to stick with the program and work hard and at some point I would be rewarded,” he said. “That’s not an easy team to play against. We battled. ... It was a big win for myself and the team. The guys played really well.”

Although the Kings had the better opportunities in the first period, Toronto scored on a play that started with a faceoff in the Kings’ zone, with Leo Komarov deflecting a shot from the blue line by Matt Hunwick at 5 minutes 31 seconds. Bernier stopped Marian Gaborik twice from close range before the period ended to preserve the Maple Leafs’ lead.

“He came out with one of his best games,” winger Jordan Nolan said. “We couldn’t get one past him.”

Enroth stopped all 12 shots he faced in the second period but the Maple Leafs poured it on in the third.

Michael Grabner gave Toronto a 2-0 lead at 3:58, on a redirection, and Grabner, who finished with two goals and two assists, scored from the slot at 13:34.

Komarov made it 4-0 at 16:38 and rookie Byron Froese capped the scoring with his first goal, off a rebound at 17:27.

Kings Coach Darryl Sutter, often more critical of his team after victories than after a loss, wasn’t angry Saturday — at least not publicly. Asked to sum up the game, he was succinct.

“One-nothing going into the third. Lots of opportunities to score and couldn’t,” he said. “They’d go down and score after we had a great chance. Other than the faceoff goal, I like the way we played.”

But no one on the Kings liked the way this trip ended, and Brown brushed off suggestions that their loss could be blamed on fatigue.

The Kings next play Tuesday, when they face the San Jose Sharks in their lone home game in an 11-game stretch. The Kings lead the second-place Sharks by nine points.

“If we win tonight then it’s a great trip, so that’s the difference,” Brown said. “We have one more game before our break, and that’s a divisional game, and those have a little extra weight on them.

“We’ve got to keep trying to separate ourselves from the team we’re playing in our next game.”