In Los Angeles, Gabriel Vivaldi and Kevin Fiala scored late in the third period for the Kings to get a 4-2 win over the visiting St Louis Blues on Saturday. 
Joonas Korpisalo made 24 saves in the Kings win; it was his debut start, replacing Jonatan Quick who was traded away last week.
“Guys played really well and helped me a lot today, especially in the end,” Korpisalo said. “After they scored their second goal, I don’t think I had any shots after, so it was a great job.”
That had to be a tough task.
“I thought he looked really confident,” Kings coach Todd McLellan said. “Not easy to play with a new team, not understanding the calls or touches or what may or may not happen. Part of goaltending is predictability, and you’re coming into a situation where you don’t really know the team at all. He made some really good saves.”
Vilardi scored off a power play, and Fiala added an empty-net strike for the difference in the game.
The Kings improved to 36-20-8, they are tied for the top spot in the Pacific Division with the Vegas Golden Knights.
“We know we need to win,” Kings defenseman Matt Roy said. “It’s a tight race out in the West for us, and we understand we need to bring it every night and need to find a way to win games.”
Kasperi Kapanen and Robert Thomas were the St Louis strikers, Kapanen’s goal tied the game, 2-2, in the third period.
“I think we did a lot of good things in this game,” Thomas said. “We had a lot of chances. If one of those goes in, especially on the power play, it’s a different game.”
LA took a 1-0 lead in the first period on a goal from Carl Grundstrom.
“I felt like I had pretty busy feet, especially in the first period,” Korpisalo said. “A little nervous, you know, but kind of went, and I felt like myself in the second and third. Felt good.”
The Blues dropped to 27-30-5.
Thomas tied the game, 1-1, late in the opening frame.
Adrian Kempe restored the LA lead, 2-1, at 12:50 of the middle stanza.
Jordan Binnington made 34 saves in the loss.
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