(Sports Network) - Three goals seems to be the magic number for the Kings, but
their first meeting with the Panthers this season was one of the exceptions to
the rule.
Los Angeles shoots for its eighth straight win over struggling Florida this
evening and a possible share of the Pacific Division lead.
The lowest-scoring team with 114 goals on the season, the Kings were held to
just one goal total over the first two contests of their five-game road trip,
getting shut out in St. Louis last Friday before a 2-1 defeat the following
night in Carolina.
Los Angeles' offense got back on track a bit on Tuesday, getting goals from
Anze Kopitar, Dustin Penner and Kyle Clifford, who had the game-winner, in a
3-1 triumph over the Lightning. The Kings moved to 15-0-1 on the year when
scoring three or more goals and got 24 saves from goaltender Jonathan Quick.
"Usually when we do get three, we're pretty safe with [Quick] back there,
obviously," said Kopitar, who has 11 points in his past 12 games and a team-
leading 47 on the season. "He kept us in the game in the first period. They
came hard after we scored, and he definitely gave us a chance. That's all you
want from your goaltender."
Clifford put the Kings ahead for good when he hoped out of the penalty box and
took a long feed from defenseman Rob Scuderi before scoring on a backhander.
"I knew he was coming out of the box, but it was more of an area pass than
anything," Scuderi said. "Cliff did the rest. He was real smart by going to
the middle of the ice. I kind of threw it out there, but I think it was mostly
him getting under it."
Mike Richards added an assist for the Kings, his first point in nine games.
The victory pulled Los Angeles to within two points of San Jose for first
place in the Pacific Division. The Sharks, who have three more wins than the
Kings, have 64 points on the season.
Los Angeles didn't need three goals to beat Florida back on Dec. 1, getting 41
saves from Quick in a 2-1 win. The Kings have won the past seven encounters
since their last loss to the Panthers on Nov. 27, 2002 and haven't lost in
Florida since Oct. 26, 2001, winning its past three trips there.
The Panthers will look to snap those skids this evening and get back into
first place in the Southeast Division. Florida fell a point behind Washington
due to Tuesday's 4-0 setback to the Capitals and now sit ninth overall in the
East despite being so close to first place.
Washington hosts Winnipeg this evening.
Former Florida goaltender Tomas Vokoun made 42 saves for Washington, while
Scott Clemmensen allowed four goals on 24 shots. He was beaten for a goal just
13 seconds into the game and Florida lost for the ninth time in its last 13
games (4-5-4).
Panthers coach Kevin Dineen cautioned against overreacting to the bad loss.
"This is NHL hockey. It's not saving the world," he said. "When you take a
good tail-kicking, you have to recognize it and accept it and say how can we
be better next game."
Jose Theodore, currently battling a strained knee, gave up both goals to the
Kings on 26 shots in the December meeting.
The Sports Network