Hughes has 2 points, Canucks defeat Kings for 3rd win in row

LOS ANGELES -- Quinn Hughes had a goal and an assist in the Vancouver Canucks’ 4-2 win against the Los Angeles Kings at Crypto.com Arena on Thursday.

Brock Boeser left the game after taking an illegal check to the head from Kings forward Tanner Jeannot in the first period, but the Canucks (7-2-3) overcame the loss of their leading scorer to win their third straight game.

“I liked a lot of our game today,” Vancouver forward J.T. Miller said. “Long road trip, three hard fought games. When [Boeser] went down, obviously we got to step up. … I thought everybody stepped up and played their part.”

Jake DeBrusk scored for the third straight game, Conor Garland had a power-play goal, and Kevin Lankinen made 26 saves for Vancouver, which is 7-1-1 in its past nine games.

“The way that we just came in waves at them, I think that’s our identity, and that’s how we’re going to be successful,” Hughes said.

Quinton Byfield scored for the second straight game, Darcy Kuemper made 20 saves, and the Kings (8-4-3) failed to earn a point for the first time in five home games (3-1-1).

Byfield put the Kings up 1-0 at 1:43 of the first period, skating past Kiefer Sherwood before cutting in to beat Lankinen with a backhand. Byfield scored for the second straight game after getting his first goal of the season in a 5-1 win at the Minnesota Wild on Tuesday.

“He’s probably relaxed just a little bit after getting the first one, and hopefully he can put something together now,” Los Angeles head coach Jim Hiller said.

Boeser left the game following a shoulder-to-head hit from Jeannot at 10:44 of the first. Boeser did not appear to see Jeannot coming after playing the puck in the neutral zone.

After being down on one knee on the ice for a few minutes, Boeser was eventually able to skate off under his own power before going straight back to the dressing room.

Jeannot was assessed a match penalty, and Garland scored during a five-minute power play to tie it 1-1 at 14:20 when Kuemper paddled the puck into his own net.

“I don't know how Brock is, I haven't seen him,” Canucks coach Rick Tocchet said. “We’ll see when I see him, but, yeah, it's a tough play.”

DeBrusk put Vancouver ahead 2-1 at 5:51 of the second period, pulling Kuemper out of his net before scoring at the right post. Hughes had the primary assist.

Hughes made it 3-1 Vancouver at 2:44 of the third period on a wrist shot from the left point. The defenseman has six points (one goal, five assists) in his past three games.

“He’s our leader, he’s playing great,” said Miller. “Won the Norris [Trophy] last year, so we have a high expectation for him, and he’s obviously playing up to that.”

Vladislav Gavrikov cut it to 3-2 at 13:57 on a shot from the blue line through Trevor Lewis’ screen.

Miller scored into an empty net at 18:46 for the 4-2 final.

“Give them credit, they didn’t take a lot of risk in the third, so there wasn’t a lot of room there,” Hiller said. “We made some plays that were probably not high percentage. I thought we probably could have thrown a few more just right at the net, the pads, and just try to get something.”

NOTES: Kings defenseman Mikey Anderson was cut when he was hit in the face by a shot from Canucks defenseman Filip Hronek at 16:17 of the second period and left the game. Hiller did not have an update. … Hughes scored his sixth career game-winning goal.