Kings send Devils to second loss in row
LOS ANGELES -- Tanner Pearson scored the key go-ahead goal and Peter Budaj made 21 saves as the Los Angeles Kings defeated the New Jersey Devils 4-2 on Saturday at Staples Center.
The Kings (9-9-1) bettered their home record to 7-2-0 to move within two points of the Anaheim Ducks for the Pacific Division lead with Anaheim holding a game in hand. The teams will meet at Honda Center tomorrow afternoon.
New Jersey (9-5-3) lost its second straight after a season-high five game winning streak and has produced only six goals in its first three games of a five-game road trip. The Devils' road record dipped to 3-5-2.
Cory Schneider made 23 saves for New Jersey, which remains five points behind the division-leading New York Rangers.
Jake Muzzin added an empty-net goal at 19:32 of the third period to close out the scoring.
The Devils narrowed the lead to 3-2 on Nick Lappin's third goal of the season at 17:28 of the third period. Lappin corralled a rebound of a PA Parenteau shot and banged home a shot at the goal line to the left of Budaj.
Los Angeles extended its lead to 3-1 on Jeff Carter's seventh goal at 0:45 of the third period. Carter sped off on a 2-on-1 with Tyler Toffoli and after Schneider made the save on his initial attempt, Carter nudge the rebound past him with Drew Doughty drawing the second assist. The point for Doughty was his first in six games.
The Kings took their first lead at 2-1 on Pearson's team-leading seventh goal at 18:20 of the second period. Pearson gained possession off a turnover by Damon Severson and fired a slap shot past Schneider for the unassisted marker.
Los Angeles tied at game at 1 on defenseman Alec Martinez's third goal of the season at 4:58 of the second period. The Kings had extended zone time off pressure forechecking by Nic Dowd and his feed to set up Martinez for a wrist shot eluded Schneider with Devin Setoguchi drawing the secondary assist.
New Jersey opening the scoring on John Moore's third goal at 3:38 of the first period. Reid Boucher gained possession after a big hit delivered on Martinez and fed Moore at the point. Moore drifted to the middle of the ice and wristed a shot past Budaj to his right as he was being screened by Dowd.
NOTES: New Jersey did not dress LW Michael Cammalleri, C Jacob Josefson and D Yohann Auvitu. Cammalleri missed his fifth straight game as he continues to tend to a personal issue with the approval of the team. ... The Devils finish off their four-game road trip in San Jose on Monday as they continue to navigate their heavy road schedule, 19 of their 28 games in November and December are away from Prudential Center. ... Los Angeles scratched C Tom Gilbert and C Anze Kopitar. Kopitar missed his fourth straight game due to a wrist injury suffered in Ottawa on November 11 and is listed as day-to-day. ... The Kings assigned G Jack Campbell to their AHL Ontario affiliate on Friday. ... Los Angeles D Drew Doughty the 2016 Norris Trophy winner is going through a tough stretch offensively, entering the game with no points in his last five contests.