Kings Fall To Flyers In Home Opener
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Boyd Gordon and Sean Couturier scored 48 seconds apart to kick off Philadelphia's four-goal second period, and the Flyers got their season off to a roaring start with a 4-2 victory over the Los Angeles Kings on Friday night.
Couturier got two goals, Mark Streit also scored and Michal Neuvirth made 23 saves as the Flyers took a 4-0 lead while winning their season opener for the first time since 2011.
Drew Doughty and Brayden McNabb scored in the home opener for the Kings, whose 50th anniversary season is off to an 0-2 start.
Jeff Zatkoff made his home debut with 26 saves in his first game as the Kings' presumptive starter in the absence of Jonathan Quick. The Vezina Trophy finalist is out for several weeks with a groin injury.
Travis Konecny had two assists and defenseman Ivan Provorov added another in impressive NHL debuts for Philadelphia. The 19-year-old rookies, both drafted in the first round in 2015, cracked the Flyers' lineup in training camp.
The Kings' opener went downhill from the pregame ceremony to kick off their landmark 50th anniversary season. The Flyers, who entered the NHL alongside the Kings in the league's Second Six expansion, also celebrate their 50th this year.
Los Angeles welcomed back several members of its original team and other stars from the franchise's founding days. Every former player with a number retired in the Staples Center rafters made an appearance, including Wayne Gretzky.
The Flyers couldn't put a shot on Zatkoff until Streit's tame try 13 minutes into the first period, but Gordon started the scoring for his new team early in the second after the Kings made a poor change. Couturier then scored consecutive goals 7:21 apart.
Streit capped the barrage when the Swiss defenseman banked a shot off the back of Zatkoff's head.
Doughty finally snapped the Kings' 97 1/2-minute scoreless drought late in the second, and McNabb scored early in the third.
NOTES: Flyers D Shayne Gostisbehere appeared to take a stick to the face early in the first period, but stayed in the game. ... Kings F Tanner Pearson finished his two-game suspension for a preseason hit on Edmonton's Brandon Davidson. ... Anze Kopitar played his first home game since becoming the Kings' new captain. He has led Los Angeles in scoring for nine consecutive seasons.
UP NEXT
Flyers: A three-game road trip continues Saturday night at Arizona.
Kings: They've got the weekend off before they open a two-game road trip at Minnesota on Tuesday.
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