Three-goal first period sets up Red Wings' 4-0 win
LOS ANGELES -- Left winger Thomas Vanek scored twice and the Detroit Red Wings buried the Los Angeles Kings with a three-goal first period in a 4-0 victory on Thursday night at Staples Center.
Center Andreas Athanasiou had a goal and two assists as the Red Wings (17-17-5) bounced back after being blanked by the Anaheim Ducks on Wednesday.
Goaltender Jared Coreau stopped all 34 shots he faced for the Red Wings, who won for the second time in three games.
Goalie Jeff Zatkoff saved 18 shots for the Kings (19-16-4), who have lost four of their last six.
Detroit right winger Anthony Mantha took advantage of a Kings miscue and scored at 7:33 of the third period to cap the Red Wings' scoring. For Mantha, it was his 10th goal of the season.
The win allowed the Red Wings to avenge a 4-1 setback to the Kings on Dec. 15 at Detroit.
The Red Wings played without defensemen Brendan Smith and Niklas Kronwall, who were both injured in Wednesday's 2-0 loss to the Anaheim Ducks. The pair is expected to miss the remaining three games on the Red Wings' road trip.
But their absence didn't prevent the Red Wings from teeing off on the Kings in the opening period.
Detroit took a 1-0 lead when center Frans Nielsen dropped a pass from behind the net to Vanek just outside the crease for a goal at 1:42 of the first period.
The Kings got a chance to tie it at 7:42 when Tanner Pearson was awarded a penalty shot. However, Pearson's attempt was stuffed by Coreau.
The Red Wings cashed in a Kings turnover when Athanasiou snared a loose puck, broke away from the pack and slipped a winner past Zatkoff for a 2-0 edge at 10:02 of the first.
Vanek scored again when he rebounded an attempt by Athanasiou and knocked it past Zatkoff to make it 3-0 with 1:43 remaining in the first.
NOTES: Kings LW Dustin Brown tied Marcel Dionne for third on the club's career games played list at 921. ... Red Wings RW Gustav Nyquist played his 300th career game. ... Red Wings LW Henrik Zetterberg was the team's active leading scorer against the Kings with 17 goals and 22 assists in 42 previous games. C Anze Kopitar led Los Angeles in scoring against Detroit with 10 goals and 20 assists entering the game. ... The Kings led the league in hits entering the game with 1,158. ... The Red Wings scratched RW Thomas Jurco. D Matt Greene, D Tom Gilbert and C Andy Andreoff were unavailable for the Kings. ... Both clubs resume play Saturday. The Red Wings visit San Jose, and the Kings host Minnesota.