LOS ANGELES – The Kings quest to win five straight games was accomplished on Monday when they defeated the highest scoring team in the NHL.
The Kings came back from a one-goal deficit in the first period and scored in the second and third periods to defeat the Tampa Bay Lightning 3-2 in front of a sold out crowd at Staples Center.
Anze Kopitar, Jordan Nolan and Jeff Carter all scored for the Kings who have now won five in a row after losing 7 of 8 previously.
“We’re playing with more desperation,” said Kopitar of the win streak. “We should have before, but it’s clicking for us and we’re getting some breaks, which doesn’t hurt. We’re still in the hole so we have to keep on playing and keep getting two points.”
Tampa Bay scored in the first period off of a bizarre play in front of the net. Ondrej Palat broke through the Kings defense and attempted a diving shot that was saved by Quick. Jake Muzzin and Matt Greene than collided while going for the rebound with Greene falling on top of Quick. The rebound instead went to newcomer Nikita Nesterov who easily hammered it home for his first career goal.
“He’s [Nikita Nesterov] deserving of it,” said Tampa Bay head coach Jon Cooper. “He’s put himself in positions to score the last few games and he hasn’t had one, so it was good to see him get one.”
The Kings would respond in the second period after Kopitar beat Andrei Vasilevskiy on a breakaway for the equalizer.
“Right away in the second period we started playing well,” said Kings defenseman Drew Doughty. “I don’t know what it was but we just woke up and we started playing better. Kopitar’s goal definitely gave us a boost, when he plays well the team plays well.”
“That 70s Line Part Deux” took over in the third period when Nolan and Carter found the back of the net. Nolan scored on a brilliant backhand shot after an assist from King cleared the way to the top of the net.
“King is a big body and he drove the net which opened up a lane for me and I just threw it on net and it went in,” said a surprised Nolan.
Carter made it a triplet after a 3-on-2 break with King and Doughty opened up the right hand side of the net.
The Kings have now swept the season series with the Lightning after defeating them a little over a week ago 4-2 in Tampa Bay.
Vasilevskiy made 25 saves for the Lightning while Quick made 21 saves for his 21st win of the season.
Game Notes:
Dwight King has now scored a point in four consecutive games for the Kings. Alec Martinez missed his fourth straight game with a concussion. He has not played since the Kings defeated the Lightning in Tampa Bay.
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