Bruins Beat LA Kings 1-0
BOSTON -- Tuukka Rask turned aside 18 shots for his fourth shutout of the season and Jimmy Hayes scored just his second goal since February, leading the Boston Bruins to a 1-0 victory over the Los Angeles Kings on Sunday.
Rask, improving his season record to 16-5-3, was not severely tested in his 34th career shutout.
Hayes' second goal of the season came on a deflection of a shot by defenseman Colin Miller. It was also Hayes' second point of the season.
The win, only the second in the last seven games for the Bruins, ended their three-game home losing streak and brought Boston back to .500 (8-8-0) this season at home.
The Kings were blanked for the fourth time this season, the first time since Nov. 1, when they suffered their third straight shutout in a loss to the Anaheim Ducks.
Peter Budaj, who has been a workhorse in the Los Angeles goal since Jonathan Quick was injured on opening night, did what he could to keep his team in the game with 29 saves. But the Kings just couldn't generate much offense in the tight-checking game. Budaj was the game's No. 3 star, Rask No. 2 and Hayes No. 1.
Budaj fell to 14-8-2 and lost for the third time in eight career decisions against the Bruins.
The loss dropped the Kings to 2-2 on their current nine-game road trip. They don't play against at home until Dec. 31 -- after nine games in 17 days on the road.
The only goal of the game was originally given to defenseman Colin Miller, who had a strong game. He shot through a screen and the puck eluded Budaj. Miller was credited with the goal, but the replay clearly showed it was deflected home by Hayes.
Hayes lost the assist when credited with the goal and still doesn't have an assist since Feb. 22. His two points this season leave him even with Rask on the team's scoring list (Rask with two assists).
NOTES: Kings LW Dustin Brown was out of the lineup and is day to day with an upper-body injury. ... The Kings came into the game leading the NHL in hits, 115 more than any other team. ... Los Angeles won both games against the Bruins last season, but 12 of the previous 14 games between the teams had been decided by two goals or fewer. ... Bruins D Kevan Miller, who missed the previous game with the flu, was back in the lineup. D Matt Grzelcyk was sent back to Providence after playing two games with Boston. ... Saturday marked the fifth anniversary of Darryl Sutter agreeing to leave his Alberta farm to coach the Kings. He has won two Stanley Cups in Los Angeles. ... The Kings continue their nine-game road game at Columbus -- after a mandatory day off the ice Monday, and the Bruins host the New York Islanders on Tuesday night and then hit the road for four straight and five of the next six games.