The Kings improved their home record to 3-3-3 with their second consecutive win at Crypto.com Arena. Following a lower scoring and tightly contested 2-1 win over the Florida Panthers on Thursday night, the Kings exploded for a five-goal game versus the St. Louis Blues. Beating the Blues 5-1 on Saturday night. With the win, the Kings moved to 10-3-3 on the season and tied the Dallas Stars for the third best record in the Western Conference.
The Kings offense struck often and early against the Blues with four first period goals. It took just 2:25 for the Kings to break the ice when Quinton Byfield netted his third goal of the season, this one coming on the power play. Both Anze Kopitar and Adrian Kempe picked up assists on the Byfield goal. Just 19 seconds later, Blake Lizotte doubled the lead for the Kings with an unassisted tally in tight, scoring his fourth of the season. Filling out the bingo board of scoring in all phases was Kempe who poked a puck passed the Blues defender in the defensive zone and buried a shorthanded breakaway goal 13:37 into the opening period. Quickly after, Pierre-Luc Dubois extended the lead to 4-0. Dubois played the beneficiary role of a give-and-go with linemate Arthur Kaliyev as the two teamed up for a beautiful goal just above the circles.
Across the 40 remaining minutes, the Blues emptied the tank and pushed offensively, but an outstanding Cam Talbot stood tall. With shots favoring the Blues 20-18 in period's two and three, only one goal each way was surrendered. The Kings pushed the lead to 5-0 when Kevin Fiala scored a last minute second period goal, finding the back of the net for the second straight games and fourth time this season.
In net for the Kings, the aforementioned Talbot took a shutout into the 57th minute before allowing a goal. Talbot stopped 29 of the 30 shots faced and picked up his ninth win of the season to put him in sole possession on second place in the NHL in wins.
Tonight’s game also marked Drew Doughty's 1,111th of his career, tying him with Dave Taylor for the third-most in Kings history, behind only Anze Kopitar (1,308) and Dustin Brown (1,296). Doughty’s 1,111 games played ranks seventh among active blueliners and 17th among all active skaters.
