Game 66: Kings 5, Predators 4 (FINAL)

Will the Kings hit the right note in Nashville tonight, or will it be another ballad of lonesome heartbreak? The Kings take on the Nashville Predators, with all the action 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 vs. Rinne.
Kings 4, Predators 3: The Kings took the lead, for a fourth time, 1:15 into the third period. Dustin Penner made a nice play in the Nashville zone, to get the puck high to Matt Greene. Greene then took a slap shot from the blue line with Jarret Stoll running traffic in front and beat Rinne. Trevor Lewis also got an assist.
Kings 5, Predators 3: The Kings took a two-goal lead exactly three minutes into the third period, and chased Rinne from the game. Dustin Brown took the puck to the Nashville net, and it ended up behind Rinne. That’s where Anze Kopitar picked it up, and although his wraparound attempt got knocked away, Trevor Lewis went to the front of the net and lifted the puck over Rinne and into the net. Rinne was then pulled in favor of Anders Lindback, after he allowed five goals on 24 shots.
Kings 5, Predators 4: The Predators made it a one-goal game with 5:18 remaining in the third period, after Willie Mitchell fell and lost control of the puck deep in the Kings’ zone. Patric Hornqvist picked up the puck and went in alone on Quick. Quick made a poke check, but the puck then deflected off Hornqvist’s skate and past Quick. David Legwand and Ryan Suter were credited with assists.
End of period: The Kings outshot the Predators 28-26 and held on for the victory.

SECOND PERIOD
In goal: It’s still Quick vs. Rinne.
Kings 2, Predators 2: The Predators tied the game 9:16 into the second period, off a nice entry play. Mike Fisher pushed the puck to Martin Erat, who shot from the middle of the right circle and beat Quick cleanly to the near side with a high shot. Roman Josi also got an assist.
Kings 3, Predators 2: The Kings regained the lead with 7:39 remaining in the period. Jordan Nolan showed some nice poise, when he took a pass from Colin Fraser and held the puck in the right circle. Nolan waited until Drew Doughty pinched down a bit, and then Nolan fed a pass to Doughty, who shot and scored from the high slot.
Kings 3, Predators 3: The Predators tied the game, for a third time, with 5:55 remaining in the period. Sergei Kostitsyn found some open ice and, from the right circle, fired a shot that wobbled a bit and went under Quick’s right arm and into the net. The goal was unassisted.
End of period: The Predators outshot the Kings 10-6 in the period. The Kings went 0-for-1 on the power play and 1-for-1 on the penalty kill.

FIRST PERIOD
Officials: Stephane Auger, Don VanMassenhoven (referees); Derek Nansen, Pierre Champoux (linesmen).
Lineup: Davis Drewiske, Brad Richardson and Kevin Westgarth are the Kings’ healthy scratches.
In goal: It’s the Kings’ Jonathan Quick against the Predators’ Pekka Rinne.
Kings 1, Predators 0: The Kings took the lead 6:16 into the game. Rinne held the puck behind his net and pushed it toward the corner, but before he could get back in position, Justin Williams grabbed the puck and shot it toward the net. The shot hit Rinne and, as he lunged back toward the line, Rinne kicked the puck over the line. Willie Mitchell got an assist.
Kings 1, Predators 1: After not getting a quality scoring chance for a lengthy stretch, the Predators tied the game with 1:19 remaining in the period. Rob Scuderi deflected Andrei Kostitsyn’s shot, but the puck stayed in the slot. With Quick far off his line, the puck bounced to Patric Hornqvist, who beat Quick with a high shot. Ryan Suter also got an assist.
Kings 2, Predators 1: The Kings regained the lead just 12 seconds after Hornqvist’s goal. Slava Voynov carried the puck toward the net, then fed a cross-ice pass toward Justin Williams. Williams, to the side of the net, first chopped at the puck to knock it down, then whacked it past Rinne with 1:07 remaining in the period. Voynov and Willie Mitchell got assists.
End of period: The Kings outshot the Predators 9-6 in the period. Neither team had a power play, but the Predators will be on the power play for the first 1:58 of the second period.