Game 31: Kings 2, Blue Jackets 1 (FINAL)

The Kings are 30th in the NHL in scoring, while the Columbus Blue Jackets are 28th. Will it be a race to two goals tonight? All the action will be on Fox Sports West and on 1150-AM and affiliates, with all the game updates here as well…

THIRD PERIOD
In goal: It’s still Quick against Sanford.
Kings 1, Blue Jackets 1: The Kings ended their scoring drought 4:33 into the third period. Anze Kopitar did the hard work, carrying the puck behind the net and into the corner. Kopitar then fed a pass to the blue line to Davis Drewiske, who shot quickly from the left point. With Dustin Brown in front of the net — the Blue Jackets called for goalie interference — the shot beat Sanford for Drewiske’s second career goal (and first since 2009). Kopitar and Brown got assists. The Kings had gone 130 minutes, 35 seconds, without a goal and 168:01 without an even-strength goal.
Kings 2, Blue Jackets 1: After going more than two hours of game time without a goal, the Kings scored twice within four minutes to take the lead. This time, Drew Doughty took a slap shot, through traffic, from the right point. Dustin Brown, near the slot, reached his stick out and deflected from the puck past Sanford. Simon Gagne also got an assist.
End of game: The Kings broke their five-game losing streak as they outshot the Blue Jackets 41-25.

SECOND PERIOD
In goal: It’s still Quick against Sanford.
Blue Jackets 1, Kings 0: For a sixth consecutive game, the Kings didn’t score a first-period goal and allowed the first goal. This time, after outshooting Columbus 25-13, the Kings allowed the first goal with 3:17 remaining in the second period. Vinny Prospal shot a loose puck, through traffic, and the shot deflected off Columbus’ Jeff Carter and looped up and over Quick’s shoulder and into the net. Nikita Nikitin also got an assist.
End of period: The Kings have now not scored a goal in 126 minutes, 2 seconds, and haven’t scored an even-strength or power-play goal in 163:28. Shots are 26-14 in favor of the Kings through two periods. The teams will play 4-on-4 for the first 1:54 of the third period.

FIRST PERIOD
In goal: It’s the Kings’ Jonathan Quick against the Blue Jackets’ Curtis Sanford.
End of period: The Kings outshot the Blue Jackets 17-6 but didn’t take the action to the net very often. Their best chance was a 2-on-1 break with Anze Kopitar and Simon Gagne, but Sanford made the save on Kopitar. The Kings went 0-for-1 on the power play and 2-for-2 on the penalty kill, and Drew Doughty helped prevent a goal when he jumped into the crease to help Quick cover a loose puck.