Canucks score three straight to rally past Kings

LOS ANGELES --Vancouver Canucks coach Travis Green hoped a game against the Pacific Division-leading Los Angeles Kings would show him what kind of team he had.
After allowing two goals and two power plays before getting their first shot on goal at 9:34 of the first period, the Canucks showed their first-year coach they are nothing if not resilient.

Sven Baertschi scored a power-play goal in the third period to lift the Canucks to a come-from-behind 3-2 win at Staples Center on Tuesday.
WATCH: [All Canucks vs. Kings highlights]
"They want to win," Green said after Vancouver won for the first time in three games. "It's a really good hockey team over there, and to get down two in their building and come back and find a way to win shows a lot."
Henrik Sedin and Bo Horvat scored for the Canucks (9-7-2), and Anders Nilsson made 30 saves in his first start since Oct. 25 after being away from the team awaiting the birth of his son.
Anze Kopitar scored a power-play goal to extend his point streak to a NHL career-high nine games, and Tanner Pearson had the other goal for the Kings (11-5-2), who have lost three in a row for the first time this season. Jonathan Quick made 24 saves.
Baertschi beat Quick over his shoulder with a wrist shot from the left face-off circle to put the Canucks ahead 3-2 at 4:07 of the third. It was his second goal in three games.

Nilsson stopped Pearson on a dangerous shorthanded shot just before Vancouver broke the other way for Baertschi's third power-play goal.
The Kings jumped out to a 1-0 lead 23 seconds into the game after Canucks forward Markus Granlund failed to control a pass from defenseman Michael Del Zotto in their own zone. Pearson jumped on the loose puck and beat Nilsson from the right circle for his third goal.
Kopitar made it 2-0 at 3:14 of the first after Dustin Brown found him charging toward the net, giving him three goals and eight assists during his point streak.
But the Kings "took our foot off the gas pedal there," Pearson said.
"We have to look at ourselves," Los Angeles defenseman Alec Martinez said. "We all know the way we can play, and we've done it in spurts. We need to do it for 60 minutes, not 10 minutes in the first period, then back off."
Vancouver tied the game with two goals in 4:50 in the second period. Sedin threw the puck toward the net from a sharp angle, and it struck Los Angeles forward Nicholas Shore and deflected past Quick to make it 2-1 at 5:10. Horvat scored a power-play goal at 10:00 after the rebound of a Brock Boeser shot landed at his feet for an easy tap-in to tie it 2-2.
The Canucks were 2-for-3 on the power play after going 0-for-10 in their past two games. Green shuffled his power-play units before the game, playing Boeser with Henrik and Daniel Sedin, Horvat and defenseman Alexander Edler, and putting Baertschi with defenseman Derrick Pouliot and forwards Loui Eriksson, Sam Gagner and Thomas Vanek.
"We haven't been that great as of late, obviously, on the power play, but every single game I think we did certain things really well," Horvat said. "Tonight, everything just came together. We were really crisp on our passing. And both units were able to deliver."
Quick denied Brandon Sutter on a penalty shot at 14:36 of the second period after Derek Forbort slashed Sutter on a breakaway. Quick challenged Sutter and was preparing for a poke-check when he made the pad save.
Quick has stopped two of three penalty shots this season and four of six in his NHL career.

Goal of the game

Baertschi's goal at 4:07 of the third period.

Save of the game

Nilsson stopping Pearson on a shorthanded chance at 3:18 of the third period.

Highlight of the game

Kopitar's power-play goal at 3:14 of the first period.

They said it

"The only thing that matters is how you rebound from it. You can't change the past, but you can change what's ahead of you." -- Canucks goalie Anders Nilsson on allowing a goal on the Kings' first shot
"We had work to do when we were winning hockey games, and we've got work to do when we're losing hockey games." -- Kings coach John Stevens

Need to know

The Canucks are 6-3-0 on the road. … The Kings are 5-5-1 since starting the season 6-0-1. … Brown extended his point streak to four games with his assist on Kopitar's goal. He has two goals and three assists during the streak. … Pouliot had two assists for his first multipoint game since Feb. 27, 2016, with the Pittsburgh Penguins.

What's next

Canucks:Host the Vegas Golden Knights on Thursday (10 p.m. ET; SNP, ATTSN-RM, NHL.TV)
Kings: Host the Boston Bruins on Thursday (10:30 p.m. ET; SN, FS-W, NESN, NHL.TV)