In Los Angeles, the Kings’ Adrian Kempe netted a hat trick in a 5-1 win over the Montreal Canadiens.
“I was chasing a little bit too hard sometimes,” Kempe said. “After I got the first one, you get a little bit more comfortable and you feel better about yourself and everything. And then everything came to me and went in.”
Jonathan Quick made 36 saves in the win that pushed the Kings to 5-0-1 on the season.
The Habs chased the puck most of the night and any defensive scheme was absent.
By the time the game entered the third period, the match and the outcome were fait accompli as the Kings controlled the entire ice surface.
“Unnecessary risks, simple as that,” Canadiens head coach Claude Julien said. “We have to be a lot better and a lot smarter in those situations if we’re going to turn this around and win some hockey games.”
Michael Cammalleri struck for the other two goals for the Kings.
Paul Byron had the lone goal for the Habs in the loss.
“You see some of the Kings’ goals tonight and they’re just firing pucks to the net and just getting bodies there, keeping it simple,” Byron said. “I think that’s just something we are missing in our game right now.”
[WATCH: All Canadiens vs. Kings highlights]
Al Montoya got his first start of the year and made37 saves in the loss.
“There’s too much focus on where the goals are going to come from and right now we’re just not stopping them,” Byron said after the game.
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