In Los Angeles, Jonathan Quick made 24 saves as the Kings beat the Tampa Bay Lightning, 3-1.
Brayden McNabb picked up the game-winner in the second period; it was LA’s fourth straight win.
Jonathan Quick as solid in LA’s win over Tampa Bay – file photo by Lewis Bleiman
“We’re finding ways to win,” Quick said. “I know coming back looking at this homestand, it was (against) four really good hockey teams. I think all four were playoff teams last year, (and) we weren’t. You’ve got something to prove a little bit when you’re playing against those types of teams. We were fortunate to get eight points.
“We’re moving on. We’ve got a big trip ahead of us. We’ve got to leave this in the past and get ready for the next one.”
Andy Andreoff and Milan Lucic completed the scoring for LA.
“What makes it a little tough is we had an opportunity to take six of six (points),” Lightning coach Jon Cooper said. “We only got four of six, but you look back and go on a long road trip like this out west and we won two games so we’ve got to be pleased with that.”
Brian Boyle scored for the Bolts.
Andrei Vasilevskiy started in goal for Tampa and yielded two goals but was pulled in the second and Ben Bishop came in as relief and made 17 saves.
“The change was for a spark,” Cooper said. “We just tied it up, and then it went in. That’s a coach’s feel and [Vasilevskiy] has been so good for us. Believe me, that kid’s gonna play again and he’s gonna play a lot. But we were just looking for that spark, and unfortunately they got the next one and we didn’t.
“I thought [Bishop] played really well in that time he was in. But we were just kind of looking for that spark, and it didn’t happen.”
McNabb’s goal came just 12 seconds after the Lightning had tied it up in the second and that prompted the change in goalies. Anze Kopitar assisted on the goal, his 400th career assist.
“He’s probably going to get 400 more,” Kings coach Darryl Sutter said. “Remember I said that too, because it’ll happen.”
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