Kings 3, Blue Jackets 2 (OT)
COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Defenseman Alec Martinez scored with 26.5 seconds remaining in overtime, giving the Los Angeles Kings a come-from-behind 3-2 win over the Columbus Blue Jackets on Tuesday.
The Kings, who have won five straight, got regulation goals from defenseman Christian Ehrhoff and center Jeff Carter, while goaltender Jonathan Quick finished with 20 saves.
Left winger Scott Hartnell and left winger Matt Calvert scored goals for the Blue Jackets, who have won both meetings with Los Angeles this season.
Blue Jackets goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky made 33 saves before departing with an apparent upper-body injury late in the third period.
That sent back-up Curtis McElhinney into his first action since Nov. 19.
The Kings began to assert their authority in the second period, but while Bobrovsky stood strong on his end of the ice, the Jackets were opportunistic on their limited chances in the Kings' end.
Hartnell gave the Jackets a 1-0 lead at 2:32 of the second, only 12 seconds into a power play.
Set up in the mid-slot, Hartnell one-timed a quick feed from left winger Nick Foligno, firing into the upper right corner above Quick's left shoulder.
The Blue Jackets made it 2-0 with a quick-strike goal at 14:17.
Calvert, sprung with speed by a nifty pass out of the Blue Jackets' zone by left wing Brandon Saad, fired on Quick off the rush from the right circle.
The puck ticked off Quick's goal and skidded into the net.
The Kings, who outshot the Jackets 15-6 in the second, cut the lead in half before the second intermission, thanks to turnover by Blue Jackets defenseman David Savard.
Savard was trying to rim the puck out of the zone, but instead took too sharp an angle off the boards, feeding it directly to Ehrhoff above the left circle.
Ehrhoff didn't hesitate, snapping off a low-burner than made it through large scrum of players and went into the far corner of the net before Bobrovsky could react.
The Blue Jackets hung on for dear life the rest of the way. At one stretch between the second and third periods, the Jackets went 12:09 between shots on goal.
The Kings tied it with 1:27 to play and Quick pulled for an extra skater.
Carter, a former Blue Jacket who is booed every time he touches the puck in Nationwide Arena, picked up a loose puck on the doorstep and buried it before McElhinney could cover the post.
NOTES: Kings C Trevor Lewis (upper body) remained in Los Angeles when the club left Monday to start this six-game road trip. Lewis could join the Kings in Pittsburgh in time for Friday's game against the Penguins, coach Darryl Sutter said. ... Blue Jackets coach John Tortorella continued searching for forward combinations that will work. C Ryan Johansen, considered a prototype center, is playing left wing on the No. 1 line and RW Brandon Saad -- the club's big offseason acquisition from Chicago -- has been dropped to the fourth line despite being third on the team with nine goals. ... Blue Jackets RW David Clarkson, out since Nov. 3 with a back injury, could be cleared to return this weekend. ... Kings LW Kyle Clifford was a late scratch from the lineup with an upper-body injury, forcing Los Angeles to play with only 11 forwards and seven defensemen.