Fiala scores twice, Kings defeat Hurricanes to end 4-game skid 

RALEIGH, N.C. -- Kevin Fiala scored two goals to lead the Los Angeles Kings to a 4-2 win against the Carolina Hurricanes at Lenovo Center on Saturday.

Phillip Danault had a goal and an assist, and Darcy Kuemper made 26 saves for the Kings (27-17-6), who had lost four straight (0-3-1) and were shut out in their previous two games. The game was the last of a five-game road trip.

“Just a great game and effort,” Los Angeles coach Jim Hiller said. “It’s the only way you’re going to come in here at the end of a trip and beat a good, good team like we did. It really takes the whole crew.”

Jesperi Kotkaniemi and Eric Robinson scored for the Hurricanes (32-17-4), whose seven-game point streak ended. Frederik Andersen made 22 saves.

“I didn’t love the goals we gave,” Carolina coach Rod Brind’Amour said. “That can’t happen, not in the NHL, not against good teams. You can’t give them breakaways and 2-on-1s out of nothing. That’s a concern.”

Kotkaniemi tipped Sean Walker’s one-timer from the left point past Kuemper to give Carolina a 1-0 lead at 15:22 of the first period.

Danault took advantage of an errant clearing pass up the middle of the ice by Dmitry Orlov and scored on a short-side wrist shot to tie it 1-1 at 17:57.

“That one felt good,” Danault said. “For the whole team, I think, it sparks everyone. We weren’t playing bad. Sometimes it’s a matter of confidence and bounces. But we kept working hard and playing our game, and it worked out.”

The Kings took a 2-1 lead at 1:03 of the second period when Trevor Moore chipped the puck between Andersen’s arm and the right post off a feed from Danault. It was his first goal in 15 games.

“It’s been a while,” Moore said. “I got injured, then coming back, I haven’t found the net. So, it feels good to see one go in.”

Fiala gave the Kings a 3-1 lead at 16:58. He won a foot race through the neutral zone while holding off Orlov before cutting across the slot and scoring with a wrist shot from a tight angle below the left circle.

Robinson took a stretch pass from Brent Burns and scored on a breakaway to cut the lead to 3-2 at 5:44 of the third period. The goal was his 12th in 53 games this season, tying his career high in 72 games with the Columbus Blue Jackets in 2022-23.

“Early on, getting a chance to play with (Kotkaniemi and Martin Necas) for a while got me off to a hot start,” Robinson said. “In all sports, and especially hockey, playing with confidence is everything.”

Fiala weaved through the neutral zone and scored on a wrist shot over Andersen’s short-side shoulder for the 4-2 final at 11:40.

“Of course, Kevin with two incredible solo efforts,” Hiller said. “That was really good to see. We needed some of that.”

NOTES: Kings forward Quinton Byfield had two assists for his first multiassist game of the season. … The Kings were 0-for-1 on the power play and are 0-for-8 in the past six games. … Hurricanes forward Andrei Svechnikov was scratched with an upper-body injury. Brind’Amour said the decision was precautionary … Burns became the 13th NHL defenseman to earn 900 assists (1,468 games).