Senators fall to Kings for 5th straight loss
Grundstrom scores twice as Los Angeles snaps 5-game losing skid
Carl Grundstrom scored twice and the Los Angeles Kings snapped a five-game losing streak with a 4-2 win over the Ottawa Senators on Saturday night.
Viktor Arvidsson had a power-play goal and Arthur Kaliyev also scored for the Kings. Cal Petersen made 30 saves and Anze Kopitar had three assists.
Filip Gustavsson allowed three goals on 36 shots, and Connor Brown and Michael Del Zotto scored for the Senators, who lost their fifth straight. Ottawa is 1-7-1 on the road, including five consecutive defeats in regulation.
"Everybody's got to play for each other," Senators forward Nick Paul said. "The only people that are getting out of this is us, so we got to find a way here, and there's no more excuses. We just got to get it done."
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Kaliyev netted his fourth goal to push Los Angeles' lead to 3-1 with 6:46 left in the second period, finding himself alone at the right post to score off a pass by Alex Edler.
But Brown scored off the rush, getting the Senators back within a goal with 1:27 left in the period.
Los Angeles had to withstand a five-minute power play in the third after Brendan Lemieux received a match penalty during a confrontation with Brady Tkachuk had them grappling from the clinch on the ice. Tkachuk indicated that Lemieux bit him on the hand.
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Grundstrom, who served the penalty, came out of the box to score an empty-netter with 33.9 seconds remaining.
"I thought when `Grunny' got his opportunity to go, he made good on his shift. And he seemed to be playing with some energy," McLellan said.
The Kings started the scoring with Arvidsson's fourth goal, tipping in a pass by Kopitar on the power play 4:59 into the game.
Los Angeles is 3 for 7 on the man-advantage in two games following a 1-for-19 slump during the previous seven.
Grundstrom put Los Angeles back ahead 2-1 midway through the second period, barreling into Gustavsson as the puck crossed the line. Officials decided the contact happened because Zach Sanford forcibly sent Grundstrom into the goalie, confirming his fourth goal after a brief conversation.
Ottawa coach D.J. Smith chose not to challenge the play. "After looking at it between periods, everyone's confident that would have stayed as a goal," he said.
Senators place Murray on waivers
'We need him playing every night'
McLellan said Lemieux, who has become a staple on the fourth line, needs to be careful not to cross the line in instances like his fracas with Tkachuk and expressed concern it could result in a suspension.
"We need him playing every night," McLellan said. "We need him playing every minute that he gets. Offensively, defensively, physically, emotionally. And if we happen to lose him for any period of time, we'll miss him. And he has to understand how important he's become."
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