Kings Clobber Panthers 6-3
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SUNRISE, Fla. (AP) — Jeff Carter had two goals and two assists, and the Los Angeles Kings snapped a two-game scoreless drought in easily beating the Florida Panthers 6-3 on Thursday night.
Dwight King, Tanner Pearson, Tyler Toffoli and Dustin Brown also scored for the Kings, while Peter Budaj made 36 saves. Carter's four points were a season high, and Los Angeles poured in six goals for the first time since getting seven at Toronto on Nov. 8.
Jussi Jokinen, Jonathan Marchessault and Aleksander Barkov scored for Florida, which had won a season-best three straight. Jaromir Jagr had an assist.
Los Angeles was coming off consecutive 5-0 losses at Washington and Tampa Bay, yet had six goals before this game was half over. The Kings hadn't scored in regulation on the first three stops of their four-game road swing; the only goal Los Angeles had on the trip was an overtime winner to beat Philadelphia 1-0 on Saturday.
The Kings needed all of 1:39 to get going in this one.
Panthers goalie James Reimer started and gave up three goals on eight shots. He was lifted with 5:01 left in the first period in favor of Roberto Luongo, who allowed three goals in 3 1/2 minutes of the second period before Reimer returned.
Reimer finished with 11 saves.
Pearson, King and Carter had the three quick goals in the second to put the game well out of reach. Pearson redirected a pass from Brown to get the flurry started, King made it 5-1 just 21 seconds later and Carter got his second of the night and 29th of the season three minutes after that.
NOTES: Longtime broadcaster Jiggs McDonald, one of the original announcers for the Kings 50 years ago, worked the game for Fox Sports West. McDonald lives near Fort Myers, about two hours west of Sunrise. ... Miami Marlins players JT Realmuto, Dee Gordon, Tom Koehler and Derek Dietrich took part in the ceremonial puck drop before the game. . Kings G Jonathan Quick, out with a groin injury since the season opener, is expected to return in three weeks. . The Panthers hadn't played in six days. The Kings have a week off before their next game.
UP NEXT
Kings: Host the Arizona Coyotes next Thursday.
Panthers: Visit the Nashville Predators on Saturday.
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