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 Toffoli had two goals Monday night, Jarret Stoll also scored and
Scrivens made 25 saves in a 3-2 victory over the St. Louis Blues.
Toffoli, a 21-year-old center who was taken in the second round of
the 2010 draft, has six goals — four have been game-winners — and 11
points in 14 games since he was recalled from the minors on Nov. 2.
His only other two-goal game in the NHL was on Nov. 9 at Staples
Center in a 5-1 win over Vancouver.
Toffoli made his NHL debut late last season and opened some eyes
with his stellar play during the playoffs with two goals, four
assists and a plus-5 rating in 12 games.
"It definitely helped, getting that experience last year, especially
in the playoffs," Toffoli said. "It's not easy stepping into the
playoffs — and being able to get the opportunity to do that, I
definitely learned a lot."
Scrivens, who has performed brilliantly in place of the injured
Jonathan Quick, was heading toward his fourth shutout of the season
when Kevin Shattenkirk and Vladimir Tarasenko scored in the final
5:54. Shattenkirk's goal came 6 seconds after the Kings killed off a
power play caused by Colin Fraser's slashing penalty.
"We showed character in the third by pushing back a little bit,"
Blues captain David Backes said. "But at some point, we need to
learn our lesson that if you give good teams leads, it's a heck of
an uphill climb to try to get back in the game."
Scrivens has given up fewer than three goals in each of his last 10
starts and has posted two shutouts since Quick went on injured
reserve with a groin strain on Nov. 12 at Buffalo.
"I feel pretty good. I don't feel fatigued right now," he said. "I
know when Quickie will be back, or when he's scheduled to be back,
so I've got to make sure I get my time when I can."
Los Angeles has allowed fewer than three goals in a franchise-record
13 consecutive games. The streak includes a pair of 3-2 shootout
losses to Buffalo and San Jose.
"They force you. They're a physical, hard-checking team. But we have
to have a better reaction than we did," coach Ken Hitchcock said.
"They took it to us. We revved it up halfway through the hockey
game, but you can't play like that."
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Jaroslav Halak made 20 saves for the Blues, who
have lost consecutive games in regulation for the first time
this season following their 6-3 defeat at San Jose on Friday.
Halak had allowed just five goals in his previous five starts
after getting pulled with a 3-0 deficit in the first period of a
4-1 loss at Washington on Nov. 17.
The Kings, who hadn't had a first-period goal in any of their
previous four home games — all losses — opened the scoring at
the 10:38 mark. Stoll got the puck from Justin Williams near the
top of the left circle and took a 40-foot wrist shot that
glanced off defenseman Barret Jackman's leg and past Halak with
Dustin Brown screening the goalie.
Toffoli made it 2-0 at 16:13 of the period, beating Halak from
short range after Drew Doughty's long snap shot from the high
slot deflected off Toffoli's stick and Halak's right shoulder
before hitting the crossbar. He gave the Kings a three-goal
cushion at 5:48 of the second, scoring from the low slot after
Willie Mitchell's wrist shot from the left point caromed off
teammate Mike Richards.
"We tried to approach this one with maybe a little bit more
focus and attention to detail," Scrivens said. "We obviously
know they've got an extremely potent power play, so you can only
give them so many chances because they're going to find a way to
bury one."
NOTES: St. Louis has yet to be shut out this season. ... The
Kings eliminated the Blues from the playoffs in each of the
previous two seasons. In 2012, they beat St. Louis in the second
round on the way to their first Stanley Cup title. The Blues,
who entered the NHL with the Kings in the 1967 expansion, are
still looking for their first Cup. ... Brown has been held to a
goal and an assist in his last 13 games. ... The Kings are 8-0-0
when leading after two periods, and haven't allowed a
first-period goal in their last seven games at Staples Center.
... Los Angeles is 0 for 20 on the power play over its last six
games.
[Associated
Press; JOE RESNICK]
Copyright 2013 The Associated
Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published,
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