In Los Angeles, the Kings rallied from a 3-1 deficit to the Arizona Coyotes in the middle frame to take a 5-3 win on Thursday night.
Anze Kopitar put the Kings ahead, 4-3, in the third period with one hs two goals on the night.
“I don’t know about a statement game, but I thought our energy was there right off the start,” said Kopitar. “It was a bit of a test in the second period where you go down two goals, and we came back.”
LA improved to 13-9-4.
Jonathan Quick made 18 saves in the Kings win.
Christian Fischer scored a shorthanded goal for the Coyotes.
“It’s frustrating when you don’t make the simple play and turn it over,” Fischer said. “That’s when they come and they score and they win. Just have to tighten up defensively.”
Arizona scored twice in the second period to break a 1-1 tie coming out of the first period, Matias Maccelli and Nick Bjugstad were the strikers.
Fischer and Kopitar traded goals in the first period for the 1-1 tie.
“I’ve been feeling pretty well the past few games.” Kopitar said. “I thought our line (Kopitar, Fiala, Adrian Kempe) throughout the last four, five, six games, we’ve been creating quite a few chances, just maybe not necessarily cashing in on a whole lot of them. But tonight, it kind of opened up and we’re going to need more of the same going forward.”
LA’s Trevor Moore started the rally to cut the lead to 3-2.
“Effort was there. It still maybe wouldn’t have went our way, but it was the right response,” Kings coach Todd McLellan said. “The fact that we got the win was icing on the cake for further response.”
Carl Grundstrom tied it, 3-3, with 92 seconds left in the middle frame.
Kopitar put the Kings up in the third, 4-3.
“Sometimes the goals coming off his tape aren’t there, but he’s done really good things this year,” McLellan said of Kopitar. “Wherever he is on the power play, he seems to get it done, so pretty good utility player there.”
Kevin Fiala hit for an empty-net goal for the 5-3 final.
Arizona dropped to 7-11-3.
Karel Vejmelka made 27 saves in the Coyotes loss.
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