Enroth Leads Kings Past Islanders
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Jhonas Enroth stayed unbeaten in a Kings uniform with 31 saves, and Los Angeles beat the New York Islanders 2-1 Thursday night for its 10th victory in 13 games.
Drew Doughty and Milan Lucic scored for the first-place Kings, who put on another strong defensive performance in front of their backup goalie.
Enroth has yielded two goals in his first three starts in place of Jonathan Quick, racking up a .979 save percentage. He was outstanding during a prolonged third-period penalty kill for Los Angeles, which has won 10 of 13 meetings with the Islanders since the 2006-07 season.
Brock Nelson scored an early goal and Jaroslav Halak stopped 20 shots for the Isles, who have lost six of eight.
New York has scored more than two goals just once during that stretch.
The Kings continued their run of early-season success, a rarity for a team that won two Stanley Cups with playoff poise after unspectacular regular seasons. Los Angeles has won one division title in franchise history and has finished higher than third only once since 2000.
Lucic had one of his most productive games for his new team. The power forward scored his fourth goal, and he set a big screen for Doughty's first-period goal.
After Nelson put the Islanders ahead early with his fourth goal, Doughty pulled the Kings even on a power play with a big slap shot. The Norris Trophy finalist has two goals in three games after starting the season in a 13-game drought.
Lucic then got credit for a goal early in the second when he forced a turnover behind New York's net. He shoved in front and got a piece of a puck that went off Isles defenseman Johnny Boychuk.
Los Angeles killed off a two-man disadvantage for 45 seconds early in the third period. The Islanders' power play went 0 for 3, extending its 1-for-16 slump in the last six games.
NOTES: The Kings have scored a power-play goal in five straight games, their longest streak since December 2014. ... Doughty passed Lubomir Visnovsky for third place in Kings history among defensemen with his 32nd power-play goal. ... Quick had started eight of the Kings' last nine games, and Enroth hadn't played since Nov. 3. Los Angeles coach Darryl Sutter hasn't made a goalie change during a game this season. ... The Islanders' three-game California road trip ends Friday in Anaheim.
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