Kings Give Up Late Goal, Lose To Blues In St. Louis, 6-4

(Sports Network) - The Los Angeles Kings started their five-game road trip off with a bang and will try to carry some momentum into tonight's test at the Scottrade Center in St. Louis. The Kings began this swing on Monday with a 5-0 rout of the Detroit Red Wings. The victory improved Los Angeles to 6-8-0 on the road this season and also extended the Kings' streak without a regulation loss to five games.

Jonathan Quick made a career-high 51 saves for his second shutout of the season and Drew Doughty notched three assists to help the Kings stun the Red Wings at Joe Louis Arena. "You know it's great and all to get those saves, but at the end of the day the two points is all that matters," Quick said. "It's a tough rink to come into against a real great hockey team."

Anze Kopitar posted two goals for Los Angeles, which is 4-0-1 this month after losing its final four November games in regulation. Oscar Moller and Wayne Simmonds each posted goals while Dustin Brown chipped in with two helpers in the win. The victory also marked LA's first shutout in Detroit since a 4-0 win on March 30, 1978.

The Blues will try to avoid a three-game losing streak when they take the ice for the start of a three-game homestand tonight. St. Louis was in action Wednesday in Detroit and the Red Wings notched a 5-2 victory on the strength of Nicklas Lidstrom's first career hat trick.

Carlo Colaiacovo and Brad Winchester lit the lamp for the Blues, who have lost seven of their last nine games and have a 2-5-2 record over that stretch. Jaroslav Halak turned aside 32-of-36 shots in defeat.

The Blues enter tonight with injury concerns on defense as both Erik Johnson and Alex Pietrangelo are expected to miss this evening's game. Johnson left Wednesday's game against Detroit with a knee injury in the first period and did not return. Pietrangelo did not travel with the team to Detroit and is doubtful for tonight's tilt. Johnson leads the Blues in ice time this year and Pietrangelo is pacing St. Louis defensemen with 15 points.

The Blues have lost three of their last four games at the Scottrade Center, but they still have a strong 9-2-2 record on home ice this season. Tonight marks the first of four meetings between the Blues and Kings this year. St. Louis took three of four encounters a year ago and has won 10 of 15 overall in the series. The Kings have also dropped six out of eight in the Gateway City.

For more Kings news and analysis, be sure to read the SB Nation blog Jewels From The Crown.