Los Angeles, CA (Sports Network) - Mike Richards posted two goals and two assists to lead the Philadelphia Flyers in a 7-4 defeat of the Los Angeles Kings. Claude Giroux added a career-high three assists for the Flyers, who snapped a two-game slide. Michael Leighton turned aside 32 shots in his season debut. The netminder, who had been out because of back surgery, was playing for the first time since the June 9 loss to Chicago in Game 6 of the Stanley Cup Finals.
Kings goaltender Jonathan Bernier allowed six goals on 22 shots before being pulled in the second period. He was replaced by Jonathan Quick, who stopped 5- of-6 shots the rest of the way. Ryan Smyth scored twice for Los Angeles, which has dropped two in a row. The game was even after the first period, in which Smyth and Justin Williams lit the lamp for the Kings, and Danny Briere and Richards tallied for the Flyers.
But Philadelphia took control with a dominant second period, in which they scored four goals. Scott Hartnell got the Flyers started by tipping in Giroux's centering pass at 4:05. A little more than a minute later, James van Riemsdyk scooped up a loose puck in the slot and passed to the right of the crease for Richards, who one- timed a shot past Bernier.
Jack Johnson's power play tally at 8:11 had the Kings within 4-3, but the Flyers responded by scoring twice on the man advantage. During a 5-on-3, Jeff Carter shot past a fallen Bernier at the 11-minute mark, and van Riemsdyk scored on a high wrister at 14:17 to make it a 6-3 game.
Smyth's power-play marker three minutes later trimmed the Kings' deficit, but Leighton was strong over the final period, stopping all 10 shots he faced. Ville Leino tallied his ninth of the year at 9:10 to complete the scoring. Both teams went 2-for-5 on the power play...The Kings host San Jose on New Year's Day...Philadelphia plays at Anaheim on Friday to continue its five-game trip.
For more Kings news and analysis, be sure to read the SB Nation blog Jewels From The Crown.