Kings prevail in shootout with Ducks
LOS ANGELES -- Trevor Lewis and Anze Kopitar scored in the shootout to lift the Los Angeles Kings to a 2-1 victory over the Anaheim Ducks on Saturday night at Staples Center.
The Kings tied the score 1-1 with 1:32 remaining in regulation on a goal by Dustin Brown.
Kopitar won a faceoff in the Anaheim zone and the puck went to Kings defenseman Drew Doughty. He took a shot from the point and Brown slapped away at the rebound until getting it by Ducks goaltender Ryan Miller with the Kings goalie Jonathan Quick pulled for an extra attacker.
Quick made 26 saves in regulation and stopped Kevin Roy to end the shootout to end his six-game losing streak.
Miller made 34 saves for the Ducks and Nick Ritchie scored midway through the first period.
It was Miller's fourth start of the season and first since Nov. 9, when he left in the third period of a 4-1 victory over the Vancouver Canucks because of a lower-body injury. He came off injured reserve on Friday.
The Ducks (10-9-4) played their 12th straight game in California, falling to 5-4-3 in that span. They'll continue their six-game road trip against the Chicago Blackhawks on Monday.
The Kings (13-8-3) finished 3-5-1 in nine home games in November. They begin a four-game road trip against the Detroit Red Wings on Tuesday.
The Ducks took a 1-0 lead at 10:08 of the first period.
Corey Perry faked a shot from the right circle and took the puck behind the net and out the other side, where he spotted a wide-open Ritchie in the slot. Ritchie sent his one-timer into the open right side of the net for his third goal of the season.
Before the start of the game, Anaheim announced it would be without forward Rickard Rakell, who leads the Ducks in goals (eight) and points (18). Rakell is day to day with an upper-body injury.
The Ducks were already without their top two centers, Ryan Getzlaf (fractured facial bone) and Ryan Kesler (offseason hip surgery), and high-scoring right winger Patrick Eaves (illness).
NOTES: Ducks C Kalle Kossila was recalled from San Diego of the American Hockey League. He had one shot on goal in 3:30. ... Kings C Torrey Mitchell was in Los Angeles but unable to make his team debut because of immigration issues. The Kings acquired Mitchell from the Montreal Canadiens on Thursday in exchange for a conditional draft pick. ... Miller came in with a .930 save percentage in 17 career games against the Kings, third lowest among all opponents behind the Nashville Predators (.931) and Arizona Coyotes (.945).