Kings goalie Grosenick wins first start in six years in victory vs. Ducks

ANAHEIM --Troy Grosenick won his first NHL start in more than six years when the Los Angeles Kings defeated the Anaheim Ducks 5-1 at Honda Center on Wednesday.

Grosenick made 33 saves in his first NHL game since Nov. 18, 2014, the sixth-longest gap between NHL starts by a goalie in NHL history (6 years, 102 days).
"He just wanted an opportunity, maybe get a game in here or there," Kings coach Todd McLellan said of Grosenick. "Tonight it presented itself and he took advantage of it, so really good for him."
Adrian Kempe scored two goals to give him five in the past two games for the Kings (11-8-6), who split the two-game set after losing 6-5 in overtime to the Ducks on Monday.
Sam Steel scored, and John Gibson made 32 saves for the Ducks (8-13-6), who were trying to win three straight for the first time this season.
"I don't think we made it nearly as difficult on him as we could have," Ducks defenseman Cam Fowler said of Grosenick.
Grosenick learned Wednesday afternoon that he would likely start after Calvin Petersen was placed in NHL COVID-19 protocol prior to the game.
The 31-year-old said he wasn't affected by the short notice.
"Just same old thing, you know. Just take the next shot as it comes, just take the next day as it comes," he said. "If you're prepared for anything, things don't take you by surprise as much."
Kempe, who had his second NHL hat trick on Monday, gave the Kings a 3-1 lead when he scored off a feed from Trevor Moore at 17:55 of the second period for his 11th goal of the season.
Andreas Athanasiou made it 4-1 when he pushed in a rebound at 1:27 of the third period.

Alex Iafallo was credited with a goal after his pass from below the goal line was hit into the net by Anaheim defenseman Jani Hakanpää for a 5-1 lead at 13:57.
"You have to have a short memory," Fowler said. "At the same time, I think all of us have to take a look in the mirror tonight and think about what we did."
Kempe had given Los Angeles a 1-0 lead with a power-play goal at 3:46 of the first period.
Drew Doughty's shot was blocked by Hakanpaa, who tried to clear the puck to the side. The puck went directly to Kempe in the right circle, and he scored on a one-timer.
"We did all the right things," Fowler said. "Had a big shot block and it bounces right to their guy."

The Ducks didn't pressure Grosenick much until he made a save on Isac Lundestrom from the slot at 7:38 of the first period.
"After that, he just settled in," McLellan said. "It was good to see, and certainly not easy circumstances."
Gibson made a save on a breakaway by Anze Kopitar at 51 seconds of the second period, but the Ducks committed overlapping penalties a few minutes later, and Kopitar scored with four seconds left on the second penalty for a 2-0 lead at 5:20.
Steel scored 19 seconds later when a rebound went off his skate and skidded across the goal line to cut the lead to 2-1 at 5:39.
Grosenick, who played 211 games in the American Hockey League since his last NHL appearance, made 21 straight saves the rest of the way.
"A lot of times teams play with a goaltender or for a goaltender, and I think it's more valuable when they play for a goaltender," McLellan said. "I think, tonight, we played for him."
NOTES:The Kings were also without goalie Jonathan Quick, who missed a second game after sustaining an upper-body injury in a 4-3 overtime win against the St. Louis Blues on Saturday and remains day to day. ... Los Angeles defenseman Tobias Bjornfot took part in warmups but was scratched because of an undisclosed injury that occurred Monday against the Ducks. ... Kopitar has 10 points (three goals, seven assists) in a six-game point streak. … Ducks defenseman Josh Manson missed the game with a lower-body injury, and Anaheim forward Troy Terry sat out with an upper-body injury. Both were injured on Monday. … Ducks forward Rickard Rakell had his six-game point streak end (five goals, seven assists).