Kings Score 4 Goals In 1st Period To Beat Wild, 4-0
ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) — After another tough road loss the night before, the Los Angeles Kings were grumpy when they took the ice on Wednesday.
They didn't waste any time taking out their frustration on the Minnesota Wild.
Dustin Brown's goal and assist ignited a four-goal first period, Martin Jones earned his fifth career shutout and Los Angeles beat Minnesota 4-0.
Mike Richards, Tyler Toffoli and Justin Williams also scored for the Kings, who won on the road for just the second time this season.
"We kind of wanted to punctuate this night and show what we're all about, and we did a little bit," Williams said. "We got some turnovers and capitalized early, and were able to shut the game down."
Starting his second straight game and given a comfortable lead after the first, Jones stopped 28 shots for his first shutout since April 10, 2014. On Tuesday night, Jones was in the net when the Kings lost after a six-round shootout at Nashville.
"Two things with Marty was getting back-to-back games and getting a win on the road," Kings coach Darryl Sutter said. "And my thinking was if he played well last night I was going to come right back with him."
Darcy Kuemper gave up all four first-period goals on 10 shots before being replaced by Niklas Backstrom to start the second.
"Off night for myself. Just was off a little bit tonight and it cost me," Kuemper said.
Kuemper was 3-1-0 and had allowed just five goals in his previous four starts.
The blowout loss was Minnesota's second defeat at home and its most lopsided of the season.
Richards re-directed a shot that hit the post and bounced past Kuemper at 4:21 of the first. It was only the third time this season the defending Stanley Cup champions scored first on the road.
Brown and Toffoli followed with back-to-back, 2-on-1 goals.
Williams flicked a wrist shot past Kuemper to make it 4-0 with 10 seconds left in the period and send the Wild to the locker room as the hometown crowd booed.
"The first period was all about our rush defense," Brown said. "They're a pretty good rush team and we forced them into turnovers, which allowed us to have our own rush game."
The victory snapped a two-game losing streak for Los Angeles.
Entering Wednesday, the Wild had outscored opponents at home 32-16.
It was the second time Minnesota has been shut out this season and first at home since Jan. 14, 2014, against Ottawa.
"Not even close to the way we're supposed to play the game," Wild coach Mike Yeo said. "It's one thing to have energy and to want to go and to want to do the right things, but there's a way that you have to do it."
Minnesota heads back out on the road, where its won three of four, to face Dallas on Friday.
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