ANA@LAK: Anderson doubles lead in 1st with backhander

LOS ANGELES -- Dustin Brown had a goal and an assist for the Los Angeles Kings in a 4-1 win against the Anaheim Ducks at Staples Center on Monday.

Sean Walker and Mikey Anderson also scored for the Kings (18-22-6), marking the first time they had multiple defensemen score in the same game this season.
"Our D is our key for us all over the ice, and when they score, that puts a little pressure on the forwards as well and we've got to be on our toes and be in front of net so they can shoot it more," Los Angeles forward Adrian Kempe said. "It was nice to see them score tonight and nice to get the W as well.

ANA@LAK: Walker's point shot finds twine for 1-0 lead

Jonathan Quick made 21 saves for the Kings, who lost their previous two games. Los Angeles is seventh in the eight-team Honda West Division, six points behind the fourth-place St. Louis Blues. The top four teams qualify for the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
Jamie Drysdale scored, and Anthony Stolarz made 21 saves for the Ducks (14-28-7), who have lost five in a row and are last in the West. They've scored five goals during the skid.
It was the opener of a four-game set between the teams. They will play here again Wednesday.
"This season's been a little challenging to kind of get our guys some confidence and get the puck in the back of the net," Anaheim defenseman Cam Fowler said. "It's something that we're aware of. We're trying to be more creative, we're trying to throw some different looks, and it's just one of those things that maybe once we see it happen a little bit more, then our guys get a little juice and confidence."
Walker gave Los Angeles a 1-0 lead at 5:19 of the first period on a shot from the right point through traffic.
Anderson scored on a backhand for his first goal of the season at 10:34 of the first to make it 2-0.

ANA@LAK: Drysdale scores on slap shot from the point

Kings defensemen had scored 13 goals entering the game; Drew Doughty has eight of them.
"The really good teams in the League right now are getting a lot of production from the blue line, and sometimes I don't think our D are aggressive enough with their shots," Los Angeles coach Todd McLellan said. "They're not always prepared to shoot, and tonight a goal like Walker's, it's a seeing-eye one that finds its way to the net and, lo and behold, it goes in.
"I think a lot of times you score off of that [junk] in and around the net when the D do take the shot, so as we move forward and continue to evolve, offense has to come from the blue line as much as it does from the forwards."
Drysdale cut it to 2-1 at 3:03 of the second period on a shot from the high slot.
Brown scored into an empty net at 18:57 of the third period for his team-leading 17th goal to make it 3-1, and Trevor Moore added another empty-net goal at 19:29 for the 4-1 final.
"It's basically a one-goal game, but that's a number of games in a row where we've only scored one goal. We've got to find way to put that puck in the net," Anaheim coach Dallas Eakins said.
NOTES: Ducks center Adam Henrique was added to the NHL COVID-19 protocol list Monday and did not play. … Anaheim defenseman Andy Welinski sustained a lower-body injury in the first period. … Ducks center Isac Lundestrom returned after missing eight games because of appendicitis. He was minus-2 in 16:29 of ice time. … Anaheim captain Ryan Getzlaf started the game on the wing but moved back to center after the Ducks fell behind 2-0. Eakins said the position change was made with the intention of allowing younger players to get more time at center. … Kings center Anze Kopitar had an assist, his 996th NHL point. He has scored nine points (three goals, six assists) in his past 13 games.

Quick, Kings cruise past Ducks, 4-1