Quick, Carter help Kings defeat Flames, end three-game losing streak

LOS ANGELES -- Jonathan Quick made 23 saves for his first win of the season, and the Los Angeles Kings defeated the Calgary Flames 4-1 at Staples Center on Saturday.

Quick, who started 0-3-0 with a 6.44 goals-against average and .793 save percentage, got his 310th NHL win to tie Kari Lehtonen for 30th all time.
"I mean, he was awesome," Kings defenseman Alec Martinez said. "Jonathan Quick is Jonathan Quick. I feel like a broken record, but that guy has saved my buns so many times throughout my career, and to see him have a game like he did tonight is awesome."
WATCH: [All Flames vs. Kings highlights]
Jeff Carter had a goal and an assist for the Kings (3-5-0), who ended a three-game losing streak that included consecutive shutout defeats.
David Rittich allowed four goals on 28 shots in two periods for the Flames (4-4-1), who have lost three straight road games. Cam Talbot made eight saves in relief.
Tyler Toffoli ended the Kings' goalless streak at 136:51 when he made it 1-0 1:15 into the first period. Toffoli skated past Flames defenseman Noah Hanifin and scored his third goal on a shot from the right circle.

"If we're going to start a game, that's the best way to do it," Kings coach Todd McLellan said. "Real nice play by [Toffoli], a great shot, and you could kind of feel a little bit of relief on the bench. And then it was time to go back to work, and the guys built off it."
Carter made it 2-0 16 seconds into the second period when his centering pass hit the sake of Flames defenseman Mark Giordano and redirected in.
Anze Kopitar increased the lead to 3-0 at 5:45 when he scored on a breakaway after the Flames turned the puck over in the neutral zone. It was Kopitar's 13th NHL shorthanded goal.
"I think our first (period) was OK. It is a tough building and we were down one (goal). It was probably in the first seven or eight minutes of the second period, obviously, where the game got away from us," Flames defenseman Travis Hamonic said. "We need a better pushback from the group. And that's everybody."

Ilya Kovalchuk extended the lead to 4-0 on a power play with a one-timer from the left circle at 8:58 to end an 0-for-19 drought with the man-advantage by the Kings. It was Kovalchuk's 143rd power-play goal in 13 NHL seasons.
Mikael Backlund scored on a penalty shot at 17:50 of the third period to cut it to 4-1. Quick looked to be on his way to his 52nd NHL shutout when he stopped Johnny Gaudreau on a breakaway at 13:46 of the third period, but Backlund got his first goal of the season after being tripped by Kings defenseman Drew Doughty.
McLellan said the Kings' loss of composure late was the only disappointing part of an otherwise strong game.
"I'm disappointed that we couldn't clean things up a bit down that last seven or eight minutes so that we could reward [Quick] properly, but he did what he needed to do and looked really good in the net, so we're happy for him," McLellan said.

They said it

"The number one thing coming into a game is you got to be willing to battle and outwork the other team, and I thought they were playing harder than us, for sure. We can't keep going up and down like this. We got to be a whole lot better, a whole lot more consistent, and it starts with battles and work, and I think that was the biggest difference tonight." -- Flames defenseman Mark Giordano
"I know it's cliche, but if I had one game, live or die on the line, Quickie would be my pick in net 100 percent of the time." -- Kings defenseman Alec Martinez on goalie Jonathan Quick

Need to know

The Kings are 2-0-0 against the Flames this season. … Martinez had an assist and a plus-three rating. … Flames forward Elias Lindholm had his three-game scoring streak end. … The Flames are 0-4-1 when trailing after the first period.

What's next

Flames: At the Anaheim Ducks on Sunday (9 p.m. ET; SN360, PRIME, NHL.TV)
Kings:At the Winnipeg Jets on Tuesday (8 p.m. ET; TSN3, FS-W, NHL.TV)