LOS ANGELES -- The Los Angeles Kings jumped on a couple of early scoring chances and spent the rest of the night playing stellar defence.
Eddie Lack Hurricanes Jersey . When a few shots broke through that defensive front, Jonathan Quick was there. The Kings
won the Stanley Cup two years ago with that basic formula, and they can see it
clicking again as they close in on another playoff run. Jeff Carter scored his
250th career NHL goal on a power play, Quick made 17 saves to remain unbeaten
since the Olympic break, and the Kings beat the Montreal Canadiens 2-1 Monday
night for their fifth straight victory. Jake Muzzin scored an early goal for the
Kings, who have won four games in six days since the break to solidify their
playoff position in the Pacific Division, 10 points ahead of fourth-place
Vancouver. The Kings might not be the most eye-catching team in the NHL, but the
back-to-back Western Conference finalists results are becoming increasingly
attractive. "Were playing the way I expected us to play coming out of the
break," said Justin Williams, who got an assist on Muzzins goal just 1:54 in by
leading a rush. "Were playing hard and not giving up leads. We do need to
capitalize on more of our chances, but its two points we need for playoff
position." Los Angeles took an early lead and hung on through 35 closing minutes
of scoreless hockey for its first home victory over the Canadiens since March 8,
2003. Quick put together another outstanding game for the Kings on the heels of
his performance for the U.S. national team in Sochi, making a handful of big
saves to beat the Canadiens for the first time in his career. With his 168th
win, the Conn Smythe Trophy winner is just three behind Rogie Vachon for the Los
Angeles franchise record. "The style that we play, those are the kind of games
youre going to see more often than not," Quick said. "At times it was a little
slow, but I thought we carried the game for the most part. We didnt give them
many opportunities. It was the kind of game you want to play." The Kings
followed up their 6-0 victory at Montreal on Dec. 10 with another solid
performance against the Canadiens built around that defence. Los Angeles has
allowed an NHL-low 134 goals, and Montreal couldnt crack the Kings defence
except for P.K. Subbans fortunate deflection goal late in the first period. "We
played against the best defensive team in the league, and that showed," Montreal
coach Michel Therrien said. Peter Budaj stopped 20 shots for Montreal, which had
won five of six. The Canadiens opened a four-game West Coast trip with their
first regulation loss since Feb. 2 -- and a taste of the frustration felt by Los
Angeles more frequent opponents. "We couldnt get much sustained pressure, and
thats a big part of it," Montreal captain Brian Gionta said. "We got a lucky
bounce on the one goal, but for the most part, we werent able to get to the net
as freely as we wanted. Weve got to give them credit for that, but weve got to
find ways to break through." Montreal put goalie Carey Price on injured reserve
with an apparent groin injury before the game, eight days after he posted a
shutout in Canadas gold medal-winning victory over Sweden in Sochi. Budaj has
started every game since the break, but Price might be able to play in
Wednesdays game at NHL-leading Anaheim. Although Los Angeles dominated
possession early, the Canadiens tied it late in the period when Quick blocked
Subbans long shot, and the puck ricocheted off Jarret Stoll and into Quicks net.
Carter put the Kings back ahead early in the second period, putting
Anze Kopitars pass into the top corner of Budajs net with a slick wrist shot for
his 22nd goal of the season. "The first 10 minutes, they certainly were coming
fast, and we didnt have an answer for it," Montreal forward Brendan Gallagher
said. "At the end, we had our chances and started to create stuff, but they are
a good defensive team and they dont give up a lot." NOTES: Montreal visited
Staples Center for the first time since Dec. 3, 2011. ... Australian Open
champion Stan Wawrinka and rising star Eugenie Bouchard, a Montreal-area native,
both attended the game. The BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells, Calif., began
Monday with qualifying play. ... Stoll played in his 700th NHL game.
Elias Lindholm Jersey . Ayon started 14 games, most coming after injuries to All-Star centre Al Horford and top backup
Pero Antic. Ayons surgery on Friday was performed in Atlanta by Dr.
Jeff Skinner Hurricanes Jersey . -- Center Max Unger and tight end Zach Miller are both probable for the Seattle Seahawks
on Sunday against the New York Giants and Percy Harvins recovery continues to be
slow. CHICAGO -- The Chicago Blackhawks kick-started their league-leading
offence by holding on to the puck -- and shutting down New Jersey defensively.
Patrick Sharp scored twice and Patrick Kane, Bryan Bickell and Nick Leddy also
connected to lead Chicago to a 5-2 win over the Devils on Monday night.
Stephen Gionta and Michael Ryder had goals for the Devils, whose season-high
four-game point streak (3-0-1) ended. New Jersey was lucky to get those two
scores -- off a failed clearing attempt and a close-in turnover -- as Chicago
outshot the Devils 37-12, and controlled the puck and the play. "I thought it
was one of our better games all year as far as puck possession, directing
plays," Chicago coach Joel Quenneville said. "I thought we did everything we
were looking to do in the game. I liked their energy, I liked their thought
process, our purpose." The Blackhawks spent little time in their zone. With only
a couple of exceptions, they moved the puck to their forwards efficiently and
left the Devils. Sharp, who recorded his third two-goal game this season, was
one of the beneficiaries. "It starts with the defence making great plays in the
D-zone," he said. "Weve had great forwards here for a while that want the puck
and want to score goals." The 25-year-old Kane has been better offensively this
season, his seventh in the NHL. He has points in 12 straight games, matching his
career high -- set earlier this season and just before his run. Kane has seven
goals and 14 assists in his streak, and at least one point in all but one of his
past 25 games, helping him climb into second in the NHL scoring race behind
Pittsburghs Sidney Crosby. "If we can play defence like that every night, I
think youre going to see more scores like that," he said. Bickells goal was his
first since Nov. 10, but he missed 14 of Chicagos 19 games during that span with
a knee injury. Chicago rookie Antti Raanta blocked 10 shots in his seventh
straight start -- all since Blackhawks top goalie Corey Crawford suffered a
lower-body injury on Dec. 8. He faced the fewest shots against Chicago in a game
this season. New Jerseys Cory Schneider made 32 saves. "Theyre a relentless
team," Schneider said. "They dont give up on the puck and theyre always trying
to force turnovers. They didnt take their foot off the gas. "We just didnt play
at the level we need to play to compete." The Blackhawks outshot the Devils 12-2
in the first period and led 1-0 after 20 minutes. Sharp opened the scooring at
12:59 when he snapped off a 40-foot shot from the left boards.
Jeff Skinner Jersey. . New Jersey defenceman Mark Fayne reached toward the puck with his right glove, but deflected it past
Schneider. One of the Devils two shots in the period was a dump-in from their
own blue line while killing a penalty. Gionta tied it at 1 at 5:37 of the second
on a deflection at the doorstep and the Devils fourth shot on goal. Following a
failed Chicago clearing attempt on the left boards, Jon Merrill fired from the
top of the slot. The puck struck the skate of Blackhawks defenceman Michael
Kostka, then ticked in off Giontas stick. Kane put Chicago back ahead 2-1 just
over 2 minutes later when he drove to the net and slammed in a rebound of Leddys
shot. Schneider made a glove save on Leddys drive from the slot, but it dropped
to the ice and Kane plowed over Devils defenceman Marek Zidlicky to score.
Bickell made it 3-1 with 7:33 left in the period, connecting on a rising,
screened shot from the right circle after taking a feed from Brandon Saad. Ryder
swept in a backhand 59 seconds into the third to cut it 3-2 after he picked off
a clearing pass by Chicago defenceman Brent Seabrook. The Devils managed to come
back from a two-goal deficit against Washington on Saturday to win in overtime.
The Blackhawks didnt let that happen. "Tonight we gave away way too much space
and way too much opportunity to move the puck as well," Ryder said. "Were pretty
stingy on defence usually, and tonight we got away from that and tonight it
shows on the scoreboard." Set up by Marian Hossas stretch pass, Sharp scored his
second goal on a breakaway at 5:54 to extend Chicagos lead to 4-2. He took the
feed at centre ice, streaked in alone and fired a low shot under Schneiders
glove. Leddys power-play goal, on a drive from the top of the circle with 7:01
left, completed the scoring. Sharp narrowly missed a hat trick, firing the puck
off the post with 39 seconds left. NOTES: Crawford has resumed skating and is
expected to start practicing after Christmas, according to Quenneville. ...
Giontas goal was his second in four games after not scoring in his first 20
games this season. ... Devils RW and leading scorer Jaromir Jagr was held
without a point for the first time in seven games. ... New Jersey RW
Damien Brunner missed his second game with a lower-body injury and C
Andrei Loktionov sat out his second with an illness. ... Montreal Canadiens GM
Marc Bergevin, who used to work in the Blackhawks front office, attended the
game.
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