Jonathan Quick stopped all 27 shots he faced, and Adrian Kempe recorded his fourth goal in five games as the Los Angeles Kings posted a rare home victory over the Dallas Stars, 4-0 on Thursday night.
Quick was solid all night, and stellar when needed, in recording his second shutout of the season for the Kings, who totaled 41 shots.
Kempe’s goal early in the second period, Arthur Kaliyev’s fifth of the season late in the third and empty-netters from Viktor Arvidsson and Andreas Athanasiou were more than enough for Los Angeles to end a six-game home losing streak to the Stars.
This was just the second win in the last eight home games for Los Angeles.
Jake Oettinger made 37 saves for the Stars, who failed to rebound after their club-tying seven-game winning streak ended Wednesday in a 5-4 loss at Vegas. Blanked for the first time this season, Dallas has dropped back-to-back games for the first time since Nov. 7 and 10.
Los Angeles recorded the first 13 shots of the night, then Dallas outshot the hosts 9-7 the rest of the opening period. Yet, the first 20 minutes ended without a goal from either club.
The Kings, though, eventually opened the scoring 50 seconds into the second period. Dustin Brown found a streaking Kempe, who raced by the Dallas defense and in alone on Oettinger, who couldn’t keep the puck from going through his legs and into the net.
The Stars had a host of quality scoring chances in the second period, but Quick was up to the challenge — perhaps none bigger in the moment than his sprawling save on a surging Denis Gurianov midway through the middle frame.
Gurianov also hit the crossbar early in the third for the Stars, who managed just eight shots in the final period.
Los Angeles added a welcomed insurance goal with 5:28 left in regulation. Rasmus Kupari took advantage of an errant Dallas pass through the neutral zone, raced toward the net with the puck, then set up Kaliyev for his successful wrister.
–Field Level Media
