L.A.'s Quick Blanks Hawks, 2-0, For NHL Best 5th Shutout
CHICAGO (AP) — Jonathan Quick made 38 saves to earn his NHL-leading fifth shutout, and Trent Hunter and Jarret Stoll scored to lead the Los Angeles Kings past the Chicago Blackhawks 2-0 on Wednesday night.
Quick was solid in earning his 19th NHL shutout, but he wasn't heavily tested until the third period. The Blackhawks managed few prime scoring chances in the first two frames.
The Kings improved to 5-1-1 in their last seven and 3-0-1 under coach Darryl Sutter, who took over behind the Los Angeles bench last week. Sutter spent his eight-year NHL playing career with the Blackhawks, and began his NHL coaching career with Chicago in 1992.
The Blackhawks, who lead the NHL with 50 points, where shut out for the fourth time this season. Chicago is 9-2-1 in its last 12 and 13-3-3 at home.
Corey Crawford stopped 36 shots and was exceptional in his third straight start following a string of six consecutive starts by backup Ray Emery. Crawford made seven close-in saves in the second period — including a stop on Mike Richards' penalty shot — when the Kings dominated.
The Kings killed all four power plays, and haven't allowed a goal in their past 20 short-handed situations.
The Kings wasted a four-minute advantage early in the first period after Patrick Sharp was sent off for four minutes for high sticking. Los Angeles managed just three shots during the power play.
Hunter scored the only goal of the second, with 7:53 left, to give Los Angeles a 1-0 lead. Crawford stopped a point-blank attempt by Kyle Clifford, then landed on his stomach. Hunter lofted in the rebound for his second goal of the season.
Crawford kept it at 1-0 with a glove save on Richards' backhand attempt on the penalty shot with 3:22 left in the second. Richards was awarded the penalty shot after he slipped past forward Jonathan Toews, who had lost his stick, and broke in alone. Toews caught Richards, but pushed him down from behind.
Stoll made it 2-0 at 1:16 of the third.
Quick made his toughest saves in the third, when Chicago outshot Los Angeles 18-10. He stopped Michael Frolik's shot from the crease, and a rebound by Toews with nine minutes left. Just seconds later, Quick smothered a chance from a scrum in the crease.
NOTES: The Kings placed LW Simon Gagne on the injured list because of an undisclosed upper body injury. He was injured against Phoenix on Monday. . Blackhawks LW Dan Carcillo sat out a sixth game with an upper-body injury. Chicago C Marcus Kruger (upper body) also missed the game. Kruger had returned on Monday, following a one-game absence, after taking a hit to the head from Pittsburgh's Deryk Engelland last week.
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