Game 72: Kings 4, Predators 2 (FINAL)

What side will luck be on tonight? The Kings host 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 Bernier vs. Rinne.
Kings 2, Predators 1: The Kings took the lead back 8:04 into the second period, on a 2-on-1 break by Trevor Lewis and Dustin Penner. Lewis picked up the puck in the neutral zone and brought it up the right side. Penner went straight to the net and deflected in Lewis’ centering pass from close range. Rob Scuderi also got an assist.
Kings 3, Predators 1: The Kings took a two-goal lead with 6:02 remaining. Jeff Carter made the play, as he forced a neutral-zone turnover, then pushed the puck toward Dwight King. King skated in and beat Rinne with a shot from the left circle.
Kings 4, Predators 1: The Kings reached the four-goal mark with a nice goal by Kyle Clifford with 3:41 remaining. Jordan Nolan put a nice pass right onto Clifford’s stick, and Clifford went around Jordin Tootoo with speed and beat Rinne with a close-range backhand shot. Drew Doughty also got an assist.
Kings 4, Predators 2: Nashville made it a two-goal game when Mike Fisher scored with 2:42 remaining. Bernier made a save on a shot by Kevin Klein from the blue line, but the rebound stayed in front of the net. Fisher beat Anze Kopitar to the puck and tucked it past Bernier.
End of period: The Kings outshot the Predators 27-21 in the game and won three of four games in the season series.

SECOND PERIOD
In goal: It’s still Bernier vs. Rinne.
Kings 1, Predators 1: The Predators tied the game with a power-play goal with 6:17 remaining in the period, after a questionable cross-checking call on Dustin Brown. Martin Erat fired a shot from near the top of the right circle and, with Patric Hornqvist running traffic in front, the shot beat Bernier. Ryan Suter and Shea Weber picked up assists.
End of period: The Predators outshot the Kings 9-8 in the period. The Kings went 0-for-1 on the power play and 1-for-2 on the penalty kill.

FIRST PERIOD
Officials: Ghislain Hebert, Marc Joannette (referees); Don Henderson, Thor Nelson (linesmen).
Lineups: Davis Drewiske, Brad Richardson and Kevin Westgarth are the Kings’ healthy scratches.
In goal: It’s the Kings’ Jonathan Bernier against the Predators’ Pekka Rinne.
Kings 1, Predators 0: The Kings started strong, then had to kill a penalty, then took the lead at the 7:53 mark. Anze Kopitar gathered up a loose puck in the Nashville zone, steadied it near the top of the right circle and then fired a high shot past Rinne. Dustin Penner and Trevor Lewis got assists.
End of period: The Kings outshot the Predators 10-5 in the period. The Kings went 1-for-1 on the penalty kill and did not have a power play.