LA Kings blank Blues for 1-0 shootout win
Jonathan Quick tied the Kings' franchise record with his 32nd career shutout, making 43 saves and stopping all three St. Louis shootout attempts in Los Angeles' 1-0 victory over the Blues on Thursday night.
Jeff Carter scored the only shootout goal for the defending Stanley Cup champions. Los Angeles won its third straight despite failing to score against Brian Elliott, who stopped 17 shots in his 26th career shutout for the Blues.
Carter scored in the first shootout round, and Quick stopped T.J. Oshie, Alexander Steen and Vladimir Tarasenko to wrap up the Kings' fifth straight home win over St. Louis.
Quick carried the Kings past the fresher Blues, making saves with his glove, blocker and mask to keep it scoreless.
Quick matched Rogie Vachon's franchise record for shutouts, reaching the mark in 50 fewer games than Vachon needed during the 1970s. Quick already became the Kings' franchise leader in victories last season on the way to his second Stanley Cup ring.
The Blues had the past four days off before opening their road schedule with a three-game West Coast trip, and they controlled long stretches against the Kings with their fresh legs and skill-laden roster.
The season's first meeting between the two title contenders featured plenty of tight-checking hockey. Both clubs struggled to create consistent scoring chances, with Kings coach Darryl Sutter shuffling his lines - even breaking up That 70s Line, Jeff Carter's high-scoring trio with youngsters Tanner Pearson and Tyler Toffoli.
After a scoreless first period, Quick's mask was dislodged and Blues forward Alexander Steen lost his helmet during a prolonged scuffle midway through the second period when Steen hacked at the puck in Quick's midsection.
Ian Cole rang a shot off Quick's post shortly before St. Louis got a 4-on-3 advantage, but Drew Doughty leaped high into the air to swat the puck out of Los Angeles' zone during the short-handed sequence.
Quick saves Kings from defeat in game with playoff-like intensity
The Kings managed just three shots in the second period, but Quick made several impressive saves to keep it scoreless.
Elliott then broke his stick on a poke-check during a Kings power play midway through the third period, but played more than two minutes using defenseman Jay Bouwmeester's stick when the Blues couldn't control the puck.
Shortly after Quick made a spectacular glove save on a short-range shot by Bouwmeester in the waning minutes of regulation, he stopped a shot by David Backes with his head.
NOTES: Los Angeles F Marian Gaborik missed his second straight game with a lower-body injury, and Andy Andreoff played in his second NHL game. ... Kings D Jake Muzzin still hasn't played this season while recovering from an upper-body injury, although he got a $20 million contract extension Wednesday. ... St. Louis' road trip continues this weekend at Arizona and Anaheim