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 Center Frans Nielsen and Kyle Okposo scored in a shootout,
lifting the Islanders to a 2-1 victory over the Los Angeles Kings on
Thursday night at Staples Center.
"I think it's one of the best games we've played all year,"
Islanders coach Jack Capuano said. "We managed the puck, we executed
on every aspect of the game. I thought our penalty kill was really
good tonight. Your goaltender has got to be your best penalty killer
and I thought Chad (Johnson) made some big saves."
Johnson stopped 28 shots and also stuffed both attempts by Kings
centers Anze Kopitar and Jeff Carter in the shootout. Okposo scored
on New York's initial shootout attempt before Nielsen delivered.
The Kings (7-4-3), who were coming off a 1-3-1 road trip, had their
six-game winning streak at home snapped. They hadn't lost since on
home ice since the San Jose Sharks beat them 4-0 in the opener on
Oct. 8.
"I thought we were good in spurts tonight," Kings defenseman Jake
Muzzin said. "We had some penalties and stuff we have to clean up,
but I thought we did a pretty good job. We just have to put that
effort in for a full 60 (minutes)."
 The Islanders (8-5-0) ended their winless ways in L.A., winning for
the first time here since Feb. 15, 2003. The Islanders, who earned a
3-2 overtime win over the Anaheim Ducks on Wednesday night, won
their second in a row after snapping a three-game losing streak.
"I've said it all year we're not the same team," Okposo said. "We
went on a three-game skid and everyone wanted to hit the panic
button, but in here we didn't because we know what kind of team we
have, and we're a good hockey club."
Kings goalie Jonathan Quick recorded 25 saves, including a
game-saving blast by defenseman Lubomir in the opening minute of the
extra period, but couldn't prevent the Islanders from prevailing.
"I think we had a really good first period and the last seven or
eight minutes we weren't as sharp as we had to be," Los Angeles
coach Darryl Sutter said. "We regouped going into the third (period)
and we had a good one. We had good looks, but we missed the net two
or three times."
Left winger Dwight King put the Kings on top, getting a stick on
center Mike Richards' shot and misdirecting it past Johnson for his
second goal this season and a 1-0 lead at 3:49 of the first period.
For Richards, the assist extended his points' streak to four games.
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But that was the only blemish against Johnson.
"I think we are mature enough now as a group to get some goals and
be right back in the game," Johnson said. "It was definitely good to
see us rebound after the lucky goal."
Said Capuano, "They're the type of team that it's a fluky goal, but
it's a great goal for me because they get bodies and they just throw
pucks to the net. You have to learn from that, and we responded."
The Islanders did so late in the first, tying the score as center
Brock Nelson fielded a pass from center John Tavares and squeezed a
wrist shot by Quick for a power-play goal with 3:28 remaining in the
period. It was Nelson seventh goal of the season.
Despite outshooting New York 11-3 in the third period, Los Angeles
couldn't take advantage of it.
Los Angeles is 6-0-2 when scoring the first goal.
NOTES: Kings RW Justin Williams missed the contest with blurred
vision in his right eye, an injury he suffered Tuesday by taking a
stick near the eye from Dallas D Brendan Dillon. Williams missed his
first game in three years, ending a string of 225 consecutive
outings, the longest on the club. He hadn't missed a game since Oct.
7, 2011. ... The two teams won't meet again until the Kings visit
New York on March 26, 2015. ... The Islanders cap their five-game
road trip Saturday against the Arizona Coyotes before returning home
to face the Colorado Avalanche on Tuesday. ... Los Angeles plays the
Vancouver Canucks on Saturday at Staples Center before visiting the
rival Anaheim Ducks on Wednesday.
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