|
 Jake Muzzin tied it early in the third period with his second goal for the defending Stanley Cup champions, who have won six straight home games while surging up the Western Conference standings after a slow start to the season. Los Angeles has won nine of 11 overall.
Mike Richards and Muzzin scored 59 seconds apart to tie it for the Kings, who trailed 4-1 midway through the second period.
Alex Pietrangelo, David Perron and Chris Stewart each had a goal and an assist for the Blues, who have lost five of seven.
Carter followed up his natural hat trick in Monday's home win over Nashville with his 15th goal of an outstanding season, and Anze Kopitar added a goal with 5:09 to play. Muzzin had three points in the rookie's highest-scoring performance, while Justin Williams matched his career high with three assists in the defending champs' highest-scoring performance of the season.
Jonathan Bernier made back-to-back starts for just the second time this season, but the Kings' backup goalie gave up three goals on eight shots in just over 21 minutes before getting pulled in favor of Jonathan Quick, who stopped five shots.
Jaroslav Halak made 16 saves before Brian Elliott replaced him when Carter scored the Kings' fourth consecutive goal in less than 13 minutes.
Vladimir Sobotka also scored in the Blues' first appearance at Staples Center since the eighth-seeded Kings swept them out of the second round of last season's playoffs. St. Louis dropped to 0-2-0 on its five-game trip against the entire Pacific Division.
[to top of second column] |
Slava Voynov scored for the Kings, who haven't lost at home since Jan. 31. Los Angeles trounced Nashville 5-1 on Monday night to begin a stretch of five home games in eight days.
The first period featured three fights and 40 penalty minutes, including Kyle Clifford's one-punch knockdown of Roman Polak with a nasty uppercut.
Perron chased Bernier just 1:14 into the second period when he slipped unmarked into the slot and scored his eighth goal of the season. After Stewart beat Quick at an awkward angle later in the period, Voynov trimmed the Blues' lead to 4-2 with his second goal in 13 games.
The Kings then evened it with stunning swiftness. Richards scored his sixth goal of the season on his own rebound in the slot on a setup by Dustin Penner, and Muzzin quickly tied it in the first multigoal effort of his 29-game NHL career.
Carter then chased Halak with a slap shot, scoring his ninth goal in eight games.
NOTES: Pietrangelo's goal ended an 11-game goal drought. ... F Jason Arnott has skated for St. Louis in a few recent workouts, and the Blues are considering re-signing the 38-year-old veteran to bolster their flagging depth. Arnott, who nearly joined the New York Rangers in January, had 17 goals for the Blues last season, but was a healthy scratch for the final two games of St. Louis' playoff loss to Los Angeles, apparently leaving Arnott upset with coach Ken Hitchcock. ... Williams had three assists for the third time in his career -- and the second time this season.
[Associated
Press; By GREG BEACHAM]
Copyright 2013 The Associated
Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published,
broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
|
