LOS ANGELES — The Kings extended their season-best winning streak to four games on Wednesday, turning the tables on the Dallas Stars to win 3-2.
With a chance to prove their run of good form and impressive defensive record could hold up against one of the top contenders in the conference, the Kings rallied from a two-goal first-period deficit, scoring three unanswered thanks to a trio of Canadian newcomers: Tanner Jeannot, Joel Edmundson and Warren Foegele.
Foegele gave the Kings the lead at 2:22 in the third period on a sequence that saw him make inadvertent contact with an official at the Kings’ end of the ice before picking up the puck behind the Dallas net. Foegele skated from one side to the other and doubled back, putting the puck on his forehand for a wrap-around under the stick of goaltender Jake Oettinger.
The game-winner was Foegele’s seventh goal since joining the Kings as a free agent from the Edmonton Oilers.
Kings netminder David Rittich received the start while Darcy Kuemper, available to play for the first time since mid-November, watched from the bench as the Czech goalkeeper made 26 saves for his 101st career win and 10th on the season.
During the last 20 minutes, the Stars pressured Rittich, but he was sharp in stopping 10 shots on goal, including a few loose pucks in and around the crease that he handled well.
Although the Kings finished strong, their start was not as impressive.
Forward Adrian Kempe’s needless tripping penalty 40 seconds into the game set his team back less than two minutes later when Dallas forward Wyatt Johnston’s fifth goal of the season came on the power play.
Assisted by Jason Robertson and Jamie Benn, Johnston’s goal at 2:34 of the first period was finished directly in front of Rittich, delivering the Star’s fifth goal on the power play in their last seven games when Johnston skated into empty space near the slot and got off a shot before jamming in his own rebound.
The 21-year-old Canadian has points in five straight games against the Kings, including a goal in each of the last four meetings.
Dallas doubled its first-period advantage at 13:40 on a wicked wrist shot by their second-leading scorer behind Matt Duchene. From the top of the right circle, forward Mason Marchment gunned the puck over Rittich’s right shoulder for his 10th goal of the season.
But the visitors’ early lead disappeared by the end of the second period.
First, Jeannot halved the deficit at 4:40 off an assist from Foegele, his sixth.
As the Kings searched to find the game, Jeannot had his own shoot-rebound-goal moment when a backhander missed the Stars’ net but bounced to him off the boards. The Canadian’s third of the season was tucked inside the right post.
Then Edmundson’s fourth goal with the Kings leveled the contest at 15:38. Off a faceoff in the left circle won by Anze Kopitar, Kyle Burroughs touched the puck to Edmundson, whose slap shot caromed off a Dallas defender past goaltender Oettinger.
Stifling Dallas (16-9-0, 32 points) after the first period, the Kings (15-8-3, 33 points) exhibited improved defensive chops the rest of the way.
The Kings can make it five straight wins when they host the top team in the league, the Minnesota Wild, on Saturday before their longest road trip of the season, a seven-game, 15-day excursion covering nearly half of the Eastern Conference.
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With a chance to prove their run of good form and impressive defensive record could hold up against one of the top contenders in the conference, the Kings rallied from a two-goal first-period deficit, scoring three unanswered thanks to a trio of Canadian newcomers: Tanner Jeannot, Joel Edmundson and Warren Foegele.
Foegele gave the Kings the lead at 2:22 in the third period on a sequence that saw him make inadvertent contact with an official at the Kings’ end of the ice before picking up the puck behind the Dallas net. Foegele skated from one side to the other and doubled back, putting the puck on his forehand for a wrap-around under the stick of goaltender Jake Oettinger.
The game-winner was Foegele’s seventh goal since joining the Kings as a free agent from the Edmonton Oilers.
Kings netminder David Rittich received the start while Darcy Kuemper, available to play for the first time since mid-November, watched from the bench as the Czech goalkeeper made 26 saves for his 101st career win and 10th on the season.
During the last 20 minutes, the Stars pressured Rittich, but he was sharp in stopping 10 shots on goal, including a few loose pucks in and around the crease that he handled well.
Although the Kings finished strong, their start was not as impressive.
Forward Adrian Kempe’s needless tripping penalty 40 seconds into the game set his team back less than two minutes later when Dallas forward Wyatt Johnston’s fifth goal of the season came on the power play.
Assisted by Jason Robertson and Jamie Benn, Johnston’s goal at 2:34 of the first period was finished directly in front of Rittich, delivering the Star’s fifth goal on the power play in their last seven games when Johnston skated into empty space near the slot and got off a shot before jamming in his own rebound.
The 21-year-old Canadian has points in five straight games against the Kings, including a goal in each of the last four meetings.
Dallas doubled its first-period advantage at 13:40 on a wicked wrist shot by their second-leading scorer behind Matt Duchene. From the top of the right circle, forward Mason Marchment gunned the puck over Rittich’s right shoulder for his 10th goal of the season.
But the visitors’ early lead disappeared by the end of the second period.
First, Jeannot halved the deficit at 4:40 off an assist from Foegele, his sixth.
As the Kings searched to find the game, Jeannot had his own shoot-rebound-goal moment when a backhander missed the Stars’ net but bounced to him off the boards. The Canadian’s third of the season was tucked inside the right post.
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Then Edmundson’s fourth goal with the Kings leveled the contest at 15:38. Off a faceoff in the left circle won by Anze Kopitar, Kyle Burroughs touched the puck to Edmundson, whose slap shot caromed off a Dallas defender past goaltender Oettinger.
Stifling Dallas (16-9-0, 32 points) after the first period, the Kings (15-8-3, 33 points) exhibited improved defensive chops the rest of the way.
The Kings can make it five straight wins when they host the top team in the league, the Minnesota Wild, on Saturday before their longest road trip of the season, a seven-game, 15-day excursion covering nearly half of the Eastern Conference.
Continue reading...
