SB Nation Los Angeles - Kings Finish 10-Game Road Tip With Win Over Ducks At Honda Centerhttps://cdn.vox-cdn.com/community_logos/48949/la-fave.png2011-02-23T22:15:31-08:00http://losangeles.sbnation.com/rss/stream/17745372011-02-23T22:15:31-08:002011-02-23T22:15:31-08:00Third Period Goal Lifts Kings Over Ducks, 3-2
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<p>Anaheim, CA (Sports Network) - <span class="sbn-auto-link"><span>Willie Mitchell</span></span> scored 6:45 into the third period to help the <span class="sbn-auto-link"><a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.jewelsfromthecrown.com/">Los Angeles Kings</a></span> take a 3-2 win over the <span class="sbn-auto-link"><a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.anaheimcalling.com/">Anaheim Ducks</a></span> at Honda Center. <span class="sbn-auto-link"><span>Ryan Smyth</span></span> and <span class="sbn-auto-link"><span>Anze Kopitar</span></span> also scored for the Kings, who stopped a two-game slide. <span class="sbn-auto-link"><span>Jonathan Quick</span></span> made 25 saves in the win. Los Angeles finished its 10-game road trip, during which it went 6-1-3.</p>
<p><span class="sbn-auto-link"><span>Teemu Selanne</span></span> and <span class="sbn-auto-link"><span>Corey Perry</span></span> scored for the Ducks, who have dropped four straight. <span class="sbn-auto-link"><span>Curtis McElhinney</span></span> made 15 stops in the loss. Selanne's goal was the 626th of his career, moving him past <span class="sbn-auto-link"><span>Joe Sakic</span></span> for 14th all-time in NHL history. Next on the list is Dave Andreychuk with 640. In the third period, Mitchell gave his team the lead when he had a clear lane from the left circle and used a slap shot to beat McElhinney.</p>
<p>Quick needed to make just six stops in the third, and Los Angeles didn't give Anaheim a power play in the frame to hang on for the win. Smyth scored 12:13 into the game, when he backhanded in the rebound of a <span class="sbn-auto-link"><span>Jack Johnson</span></span> shot. But Selanne scored just more than a minute later by redirecting <span>Toni Lydman</span>'s point blast. However, Kopitar scored with 2:51 left in the first, banging home a rebound on a rush play for a 2-1 lead.</p>
<p>Perry scored his 31st goal of the season halfway through the second period. Perry is one shy of matching his career high in goals, set during the 2008-09 season...Los Angeles plays its first home game of the month on Thursday against Minnesota...The Ducks host the Wild on Friday...The Kings have taken two of three from Anaheim this season.</p>
<p><i>For more information on tonight's game, be sure to read <a target="_blank" href="http://www.jewelsfromthecrown.com/">Jewels From The Crown</a> and <a target="_blank" href="http://www.anaheimcalling.com/">Anaheim Calling</a>.</i></p>
https://losangeles.sbnation.com/anaheim-ducks/2011/2/23/2011961/kings-vs-ducks-nhl-willie-mitchell-anze-kopitar-corey-perryEric Stephen2011-02-23T10:41:36-08:002011-02-23T10:41:36-08:00Kings Return To Southern California To Battle Ducks At Honda Center
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<p>(Sports Network) - Coming off the first regulation setback of a 10-game road trip, the <span class="sbn-auto-link"><a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.jewelsfromthecrown.com/">Los Angeles Kings</a></span> hope to cap the swing with a victory over the <span class="sbn-auto-link"><a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.anaheimcalling.com/">Anaheim Ducks</a></span> this evening at the Honda Center. The Kings won five of the first eight games of the road trip while also losing a pair of shootouts and an overtime decision since their last home game on Jan. 26. However, they failed to earn a point on Saturday thanks to a 3-0 setback to the <span class="sbn-auto-link"><a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.lighthousehockey.com/">New York Islanders</a></span>.</p>
<p><span class="sbn-auto-link"><span>Jonathan Quick</span></span> made 20 saves in Los Angeles' second straight loss, one that brought its club record-tying 11-game point streak (8-0-3) to an end. The run matched the previous mark set from Feb. 28-March 24, 1974. "It's hard to sit here and be happy with how we played tonight," said Kings forward <span class="sbn-auto-link"><span>Dustin Brown</span></span>. "But, we get home, we get some rest, we get ready for Anaheim."</p>
<p>The Kings and Ducks are two of the four teams tied for the last playoff spot in the Western Conference with 68 points. That also has the clubs seven points back of first-place Phoenix in the Pacific Division. Coming off their fifth shutout loss of the season, the Kings' offense could get a boost tonight with the return of forward <span class="sbn-auto-link"><span>Marco Sturm</span></span>, who has been on injured reserve since Jan. 20 due to knee tendinitis. Sturm has four goals and four assists in 15 games this year after being acquired from Boston and is expected to skate with <span class="sbn-auto-link"><span>Anze Kopitar</span></span> and <span class="sbn-auto-link"><span>Wayne Simmonds</span></span> on the first line tonight.</p>
<p>"It feels good," Sturm told Los Angeles' website of his knee on Monday. "Today's practice, well, it obviously feels better when you're on the top line there. But it feels good, it feels stronger. So hopefully it stays like this after I get some games in." Los Angeles will host Minnesota on Thursday and is 15-14-3 on the road this year.</p>
<p>While the Kings are nearing a return home, the Ducks kick off a seven-game residency this evening and will play 10 of their next 12 at the Honda Center. Anaheim has been outscored 21-10 over a three-game losing streak that follows four wins in a row. Though they took an early lead on Saturday versus the Blues, the Ducks ended up dropping a 9-3 decision.</p>
<p><span class="sbn-auto-link"><span>Jarkko Ruutu</span></span> scored in his Anaheim debut after being acquired from the Senators on Thursday, while <span class="sbn-auto-link"><span>Teemu Selanne</span></span> and <span class="sbn-auto-link"><span>Ryan Getzlaf</span></span> also scored. "We're just not playing our caliber of hockey," Getzlaf said. "This is another game where we just weren't ready to play ... It's frustrating."</p>
<p>Neither <span>Curtis McElhinney</span> or <span class="sbn-auto-link"><span>Timo Pielmeier</span></span> had success on Saturday, McElhinney started and gave up four goals on 11 shots, while Pielmeier yielded five goals on 12 shots over the final 40 minutes. It is unknown who will start tonight, but it likely won't be <span>Jonas Hiller</span>. Anaheim's No. 1 goaltender has played just once in the past seven games due to a pair of bouts with lightheadedness and fatigue. He did not practice on Monday and remains on injured reserve.</p>
<p>The Ducks are 17-9-1 at home this year and have won seven of their last 10 as the host over the Kings. That includes a 2-0 win on Nov. 29 thanks to Hiller's 27-save shutout, but Los Angeles got revenge with a 4-1 home win on Dec. 26 that was the Kings' seventh victory in their last 10 overall versus the Ducks. Ducks forward <span class="sbn-auto-link"><span>Saku Koivu</span></span> is a game-time decision for tonight due to a groin injury that held him out of practice on Tuesday.</p>
<p><i>For more information on tonight's game, be sure to read <a target="_blank" href="http://www.jewelsfromthecrown.com">Jewels From The Crown</a> and <a target="_blank" href="http://www.anaheimcalling.com">Anaheim Calling</a>.</i></p>
https://losangeles.sbnation.com/2011/2/23/2330252/kings-return-to-southern-california-to-battle-ducks-at-honda-centerEric Stephen