Sep 15, 2013; Glendale, AZ, USA; Phoenix Coyotes center Henrik Samuelsson (55) carries the puck as Los Angeles Kings center Dwight King (74) defends during the second period at Jobing.com Arena. Mandatory Credit: Matt Kartozian-USA TODAY Sports

Fear not, Coyotes fans- the season is off to a bright start.

In the first of a two-game series between the Arizona Coyotes rookies and their L.A. Kings counterparts, the Coyotes walked home feeling pretty pleased with themselves. With a final score of 4-1, the young ‘Yotes took on the game with a dominance that held for the majority of the game- with a couple of notable names notching goals.

The first goal came after the Kings took a penalty early in the first, scored by Henrik Samuelsson on the power play. (TOLD you guys he was heating up!) That period saw three goals overall- LA’s first and only goal was scored by Roland McKeown midway through the first, and Brendan Perlini (a-ha, another call made by Howlin’ Hockey!) slipped one between two Kings defenseman towards the end of the first to reclaim the lead.

The game looked like a nice, solid hockey game- and very much like a game played by the LA Kings. I mentioned earlier this summer that while Eastern Conference games can have a tendency to dwindle off in penalties towards the final buzzer, the Kings have no qualms with upping the intensity as the game progresses. The first period saw a penalty apiece; the second saw two calls against LA, and the third saw two Kings calls, two for Arizona, and a nice scrap between Joel Hanley and Taylor Burke at the final buzzer.

Tobias Rieder joined Samuelsson and Perlini in scoring, with Tyler Gaudet notching an empty-netter moments before the game’s end. There were no short-handed goals on either side, but Arizona didn’t necessarily need it.

The game, while lacking any ambiance music (too bad, since One Direction was performing right across the road), was a nice way for fans to take a look at who really has the stuff that Maloney and Tippett have been promising us all are the next big things. Samuelsson, as expected, came in clutch with a goal right off the bat, while Perlini used his game smarts for his goal. Rieder was as speedy as we’ve all been hearing, as well.

“I have to give the game MVP to Gaudet, though, for being dominant in multiple periods. In addition to his empty-net goal at the end of the third, he had a disallowed goal in the second.”

I have to give the game MVP to Gaudet, though, for being dominant in multiple periods. In addition to his empty-net goal at the end of the third, he had a disallowed goal in the second. The shot was ruled a no-goal because it hit the net after the whistle was blown on a scrappy fight between LA Kings Ryan Horvat and Arizona’s Dyson Stevenson.

We didn’t hear a lot in this game about Max Domi, but he skated impressively- according to the PBP done by LA Kings Insider, he was “flying” towards the end of his shift in the second. Disappointed we didn’t get to see one of his clutch goals, but there’s still time.