Game 57: Kings 4, Stars 2 (FINAL)

The season-long road trip ends today. Can the Kings get an increasingly important win over a division rival? All the action is 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. Lehtonen.
Kings 2, Stars 2: Dallas tied the game 4:37 into the third period. Loui Eriksson carried the puck toward the corner of the Kings’ zone, and three Kings drifted in his direction. That left Michael Ryder open in the slot, and Eriksson’s pass found Ryder, who scored on a sharp wrist shot. Alex Goligoski also got an assist.
Kings 3, Stars 2: Jordan Nolan’s first NHL goal gave the Kings the lead again with 8:31 remaining in the period. Dwight King fought for the puck in the right corner and pushed it to Mike Richards, who then fed a quick, no-look centering pass toward Nolan. Nolan’s one-timer from close range beat Lehtonen.
Kings 4, Stars 2: Justin Williams scored an empty-net goal with 2.1 seconds remaining and the Kings ended their season-long road trip with a win.

SECOND PERIOD
In goal: It’s still Quick vs. Lehtonen.
Kings 2, Stars 0: A power-play goal 8:21 into the period gave the Kings a two-goal lead. Jack Johnson got the puck near the top of the left circle, and his shot deflected off the skate of Andrei Loktionov and into the net. Loktionov got credit for the goal, with assists to Johnson and Anze Kopitar.
Kings 2, Stars 1: Two defensive breakdowns cost the Kings as the Stars halved their lead with 6:38 remaining in the period. First, Alex Goligoski found open ice as the trailer on a play. Then, Goligoski passed to the front of the net. Jack Johnson was there, but the puck got through him and onto the stick of Loui Eriksson who tapped it into the net from two feet away. Mike Ribeiro also got an assist.
End of period: The Stars outshot the Kings 8-4 in the period. The Kings went 1-for-2 on the power play and 1-for-1 on the penalty kill. The Stars will be on the power play for the first 1:15 of the third period.

FIRST PERIOD
Officials: Ghislain Hebert, Tim Peel (referees); Jay Sharrars, Andy McElman (linesmen).
Lineup: Davis Drewiske, Trent Hunter and Dustin Penner are the healthy scratches, as Kevin Westgarth enters the lineup.
In goal: It’s the Kings’ Jonathan Quick against the Stars’ Kari Lehtonen.
Kings 1, Stars 0: Dwight King’s first NHL goal gave the Kings the lead 8:54 into the game. Anze Kopitar, down low in the Dallas zone, took the puck form a Stars player and pushed it up to Justin Williams, who shot quickly from the left circle. Lehtonen made the save, but King went to the front of the net and knocked in the rebound from close range.
End of period: The Stars outshot the Kings 10-5 in the period. The Kings went 1-for-1 on the penalty kill and did not have a power play.

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