LOS ANGELES — The Los Angeles Kings extend their win streak to four games,with a 2-1 win over the Arizona Coyotes 2-1 on Thursday night at Staples Center. With 17 seconds into the third period, Dustin Brown scored his tenth goal of the season which proved to be enough for another Los Angeles victory.
“I think we are trying to just take it one game at a time quite honestly,” Dustin Brown said. “We put ourselves in a pretty big hole. I think it’s more important for our group, especially the young guys on our team, to understand how we need to play to win. We didn’t do it for a big stretch of games early. I think we have played better. I thought tonight was not our best game. It’s more important that we start to learn. We have a lot of new guys with not a lot of experience of what it takes to win at this level.”
With the Kings at the bottom of the Western Conference, this four game winning streak is major, especially when the team defeats a division opponent.
Arizona defenseman Jakob Chychrun scored on a power play goal for the 1-0 lead in the first period. Chychrun scored his second goal of the season on a pass from Alex Galchenyuk near the right side of the faceoff circle.
Los Angeles maintained their poise and tied the game when Jake Muzzin’s shot deflected off three Coyotes, striking near the head of defenseman Niklas Hjalmarsson. Kyle Clifford who’s in his ninth season received his 100th point of his NHL career and the assist on that goal.
Neither team scored in the second period, however there was plenty of action as Kings forward Austin Wagner and Coyotes’ Nick Cousins decided to settle differences, as Wagner shook Cousins like a California earthquake. Wagner was rewarded with a four minute penalty for roughing and Cousins received two minutes for the same penalty.
Jonathan Quick made 26 saves to win his fifth game of the season and 298th of his career for the Kings. Darcy Kuemper made 24 saves in the loss for the Coyotes.
The Los Angeles Kings will face the Vegas Golden Knights for a Saturday afternoon game at Staples Center.
