Quick helps Kings crown Canadiens
MONTREAL -- Jonathan Quick made a season-high 40 saves as the Los Angeles Kings blanked the Montreal Canadiens 4-0 Thursday night at the Bell Centre.
Quick posted his 46th career shutout and second of the season as the Kings swept the season series and improved to 8-1-1. Los Angeles posted a 5-1 home win over Montreal last week.
Rookie Adrian Kempe, Tyler Toffoli, Anze Kopitar and Kurtis MacDermid scored for Los Angeles.
Carey Price made 24 saves as Montreal dropped to 2-7-1 and was shut out for the second time this season.
The first period started out as an evenly matched affair, with the Canadiens and Kings trading scoring chances. Montreal outshot L.A. 16-8 in the opening 20 minutes but trailed 2-0 after allowing two goals in a span of 11 seconds.
With 1:01 to go in the first period, a defensive turnover led to Kempe tipping in a Derek Forbort point shot to put the Kings up 1-0 for his sixth goal of the season. Just 11 seconds later, Montreal rookie defenseman Victor Mete turned the puck over to Toffoli, who scored an unassisted goal, his third of the season.
With 22 seconds left on during a four-on-four, Kopitar fired a shot from the far circle on Price, beating him top corner, and giving the Kings a 3-0 lead with 5:25 remaining.
It was Kopitar's team-leading seventh goal of the season.
MacDermid, playing in his fifth career NHL game, lobbed a shot from the point at even strength on Price 3:58 into the third, scoring his first NHL goal, while giving the Kings a four-goal lead and clinching their third straight win.
NOTES: Kings LW Adrian Kempe scored his sixth goal, good enough for second on the team, behind only C Anze Kopitar. Kopitar scored his seventh goal of the season on Thursday night. ... The Kings recalled C Michael Amadio from the AHL's Ontario Reign on Thursday morning. The 21-year old played 8:23 in his NHL debut. ... G Carey Price made his 518th career start in goal for the Canadiens, seventh-most among active NHL goaltenders. ... Canadiens RW Brendan Gallagher, who earned his 100th career assist against the Florida Panthers on Tuesday night, was held off the score sheet for the sixth time this season. ... LW Max Pacioretty led Montreal with seven of the team's 39 shots on goal Thursday night.