Sparks makes 33 saves in season debut, Kings rally past Capitals

WASHINGTON -- Garret Sparks made 33 saves in his season debut for the Los Angeles Kings, who rallied for a 3-2 win against the Washington Capitals at Capital One Arena on Sunday.

Sparks, who signed a one-year, two-way contract with the Kings on July 28, was making his first start since April 2, 2019, and earned his first win since March 20, 2019 (each with the Toronto Maple Leafs).
"It's been a long road back here," said an emotional Sparks, who was called up from Ontario of the American Hockey League on Sunday with Cal Petersen in COVID-19 protocol.
"I think that's the cool part about it. I got to step into a situation where they needed me. It was cool. It was fun."

Adrian Kempe, Blake Lizotte and Christian Wolanin scored, and Matt Roy had two assists for Los Angeles (14-11-5), which was coming off a 5-1 loss to the Carolina Hurricanes on Saturday and is 4-1-1 in its past six games.
"For the group to play hard and come back with [Sparks] and for him, and he in turn to play as well as he did tonight, it's a chapter in a book, really, when you think about it," Kings coach Todd McLellan said. "Guys were really happy for him."
Connor McMichael and Justin Schultz scored, and Vitek Vanecek made 21 saves for Washington (18-6-7), which had a three-game point streak end.
"It's a lousy feeling when you lose a game here," Capitals coach Peter Laviolette said. "You feel like you're doing the right things and you're in control, and we didn't get it done, so that's frustrating about the game."

Lizotte pulled the Kings to within 2-1 at 17:04 of the second period with a shorthanded goal. Alex Iafallo drew three defenders towards him and sent a turnaround pass to Lizotte, who had skated in off the bench and beat Vanecek glove side.
"I don't know if it turned the tide, but it certainly at the end of a period like that, it puts them on the board, it gets them some energy and some life and a possibility," Laviolette said. "I don't like the way it happened. We just let our guard down, so we needed to do better than that."

Wolanin tied it 2-2 at 2:50 of the third period when he scored on the rebound of Roy's initial shot. It was Wolanin's first goal since March 14, 2019, with the Ottawa Senators.
Kempe then gave Los Angeles a 3-2 lead at 9:36. As he attempted to corral a loose puck on a breakaway, the puck skipped over his stick and fooled Vanecek.
McMichael gave the Capitals a 1-0 lead off a give-and-go with Joe Snively at 7:58 of the first period. Snively, who is from nearby Herndon, Virginia, was making his NHL debut.
"That settles the nerves a little bit," Snively said. "Got a little confidence running."
Schultz pushed it to 2-0 at 13:47 of the second period. After his initial shot was blocked, he regained the puck and beat Sparks glove side from the left circle one second after a power play expired.
With the Capitals going 0-for-6 with the man-advantage, Alex Ovechkin remained tied with Dave Andreychuk (274) for the most power-play goals in NHL history.
"It was just crazy to be on NHL ice again and playing against the greatest goal-scorer of all time and having an answer," Sparks said.
NOTES:Anze Kopitar had the secondary assist on Lizotte's goal to tie Wayne Gretzky (672) for second-most in Kings history. Marcel Dionne is first with 757. … Los Angeles forward Phillip Danault and Washington forwards T.J. Oshie and Michael Sgarbossa were placed in NHL COVID-19 protocol prior to the game. … Ovechkin's seven-game point streak ended (three goals, seven assists). … Snively is the first player from Virginia to play for the Capitals.