Pearson powers Kings past Canucks
LOS ANGELES -- Tanner Pearson scored in a shootout after recording a goal in regulation to lead the Los Angeles Kings to a 4-3 victory over the Vancouver Canucks on Saturday night.
Los Angeles and third-string goaltender Peter Budaj enjoyed a 3-0 lead before Vancouver rallied to tie the game on defenseman Alexander Edler's power-play goal with 35 seconds left. The Kings' Brayden McNabb was in the penalty box after shooting the puck over the glass.
Budaj turned away all three Canucks attempts in the shootout.
The Kings are down to Budaj after losing former Conn Smythe Trophy winner Jonathan Quick to a groin injury in the season opener against San Jose. He's out for at least three months. Backup goaltender Jeff Zatkoff was helped off the ice with a groin injury during Saturday morning's skate.
The Kings scored early in the first period as Brayden McNabb beat Jacob Markstrom glove side from the faceoff circle at 4:35. The Canucks couldn't clear the puck from their own zone, and the Kings converted.
Pearson scored a power-play goal at 18:24 to give the Kings a 2-0 lead. Alec Martinez's shot was stopped by Markstrom, but he couldn't corral the puck and Pearson was there to poke in the rebound.
Dustin Brown scored 33 seconds into the second period -- the Kings' first short-hand goal of the season -- off a rebound to make it 3-0.
Brown's goal was reviewed as the puck was kicked by Anze Kopitar's skate, but Brown got a stick on the puck before it crossed the goal line.
The Canucks didn't get on the board until 8:40 of the second period, when Markus Granlund got behind the Kings' defense and beat Budaj.
Henrik Sedin converted on a power play, scoring off a rebound at 14:51 to pull the Canucks within 3-2.
NOTES: Budaj played his 300th game, becoming the second Slovakian-born goaltender to reach the milestone (Jaroslav Halak). ... The Canucks played their first road game of the season. ... The Canucks started the season 4-0-0 for only the second time in franchise history. ... Kings G Jack Campbell was recalled from the Ontario Reign of the American Hockey League on an emergency basis to be the backup Saturday. ... Canucks RW Jake Virtanen was a healthy scratch in the fourth game, but was back in the lineup Saturday. ... Canucks scratches were RW Jack Skille, D Alex Biega, D Nikita Tryamkin. ... Kings scratches were D Matt Greene, RW Teddy Purcell, C Jordan Nolan. ... Kings C Jeff Carter played in his 800th NHL game and 300th as a King on Saturday.