Kopitar, Vilardi power Kings past Canadiens in 3rd period
Copley makes 19 saves as Los Angeles wins 3-2 in 1st game since trading Quick
Gabe Vilardi and Anze Kopitar scored in the third period and the Los Angeles Kings beat the visiting Montreal Canadiens 3-2 on Thursday night.
Alex Iafallo also scored and Pheonix Copley made 19 saves to help the Kings win their fourth straight home game.
"You want to build that confidence at home," Kings defenseman Sean Walker said. "We're home basically all of March, so that's going to be key for us. A lot of games we're gonna have to win down the stretch here."
Goals from Vilardi and Kopitar 1:03 apart in the third proved to be the difference in the Kings' first game since trading Jonathan Quick, the most accomplished goalie in franchise history.
Vilardi put Los Angeles up 2-1 at 7:27 of the third, shooting into the top netting with Allen down on one knee. Kopitar made it 3-1 1:03 later on a wrist shot from the slot, continuing his hot streak after scoring four times at Winnipeg on Tuesday.
"It wasn't pretty, but I was happy that our guys stuck with it and found a way to win," Kings coach Todd McLellan said.
WATCH | Kopitar scores go-ahead goal in win over Habs:
Although Gurianov cut it to 3-2 with 10:21 remaining, getting his first goal in two games since being acquired in a trade from Dallas, Montreal couldn't come up with the tying goal and can now shift its focus to Friday's trade deadline.
Canadiens defenseman Joel Edmundson is one player that could be moved after playing for the first time since sustaining a lower-body injury on Jan. 26.
"When you're one of the bottom teams, no one's safe really," he said. "It's going to be a long day, but we'll focus on the game tomorrow night and whatever happens happens."
Quick change
Kopitar and defenceman Drew Doughty, the two remaining players from the 2012 and 2014 Stanley Cup wins that Quick backstopped, addressed the unceremonious exit of their friend for the first time earlier Thursday.
"Never wanted to see Quickie go," Doughty said. "Expected to play with him the rest of my career. I don't love that he's gone at all, but it's hockey. It's business. Sometimes things happen that you're not going to like."
Defenceman Vladislav Gavrikov made his Kings debut after being acquired along with goalie Joonas Korpisalo from Columbus on Wednesday in exchange for Quick and draft picks.
Korpisalo could make his Kings debut against the Blues on Saturday.
Montreal defenceman Justin Barron sustained an upper-body injury in the first period and did not return.
The Canadiens face the Ducks in Anaheim on Friday night.
