MONTREAL — The Los Angeles Kings took a three-goal lead and held off a late comeback effort to earn a 4-2 win over the Montreal Canadiens on Saturday night.
Anze Kopitar and Viktor Arvidsson each scored first-period goals for Los Angeles (15-11-4). Alexander Edler added another while Adrian Kempe scored an empty netter.
In his second start for the Kings this season, Pheonix Copley grabbed his second consecutive win. The North Pole, Alaska native gave his teammates an early Christmas present by making 20 saves.
“It was kind of a weird game, there were a lot of blocks where I wasn’t getting a lot of work so it was one of the games where you have to be mentally sharp,” Copley said. “The guys were doing a really good job with puck possession and playing on the other end so it was one of those games where you’ve got to stay sharp mentally. The guys battled hard and it’s a good win for us.”
“He's been really solid, he's really calm back there,” Edler added. “He makes big saves at key times. His calmness is his strength and that kind of rubs off on everyone.”
Mike Hoffman scored for Montreal (13-12-2) while Cole Caufield gave his team a chance at a comeback with a shot from along the boards that fooled Copley with just over two minutes left in the game. Jake Allen made 31 saves.
“He's got us two wins. The team has played really well in front of them, that's a good sign,” said Kings coach Todd McLellan about Copley. “It seems to me like we're willing to take care of (Copley).
"Sometimes we don't do that with the other goaltenders. I think he's very calm and steady. The (goal) that Caufield snuck by him, it can be a tough save sometimes, I'm sure he'd like to have it back. But other than that he was real solid.”
The Kings took an early lead with two goals just 19 seconds apart. Kevin Fiala found Kopitar with a backhand pass from behind Montreal’s net and the Slovenian beat Allen with a five-hole wrist shot 9:34 into the first period.
Arvidsson doubled Los Angeles’ lead with a swift wrist shot from atop the left faceoff circle.
The Canadiens have struggled to get going in the opening frame in their last four home games. The Habs conceded eight goals and scored one in their last four opening frames at the Bell Centre.
“In the first period, we had no legs and no energy,” said Montreal coach Martin St. Louis. “Those are normal things when you’re coming back from (a Western Conference road trip), the first game is tough but we kept pushing.”
“We were happy that the period ended,” he added.
Caufield was inches from finding Montreal’s opening goal in the third period when his slap shot from the point hit the crossbar. The referees reviewed the play, while Montreal celebrated as if it was a goal, but confirmed that the winger’s shot had hit the iron.
Los Angeles took a three-goal lead 9:12 into the third when Edler’s shot from the point hit Kaiden Guhle and beat Allen.
Hoffman spoiled Copley’s shutout hopes at 11:41 of the third period, when he took a pass from Guhle and scored from the left faceoff circle with a wrister.
Caufield cut the Canadiens’ deficit to one goal with 2:28 remaining. His shot from along the boards was mishandled by Copley and ended its path in the back of the net.
“If I was him, I’d shoot from anywhere,” said Habs defenceman Chris Wideman. “He could probably score from the mezzanine. He’s a shooter. He shoots and I think we can all take a page out of his book and shoot a little bit more.”
Montreal pulled Allen, then called for a timeout with 1:02 left. But Kempe put the game away scoring an empty netter with a backhand shot from his own hash-marks.
“I mean, they got that ugly goal before so that (tying) goal was not happening after that,” said Canadiens centre Phillip Danault.
As the Kings head for Columbus to play the second of back-to-back games against the Blue Jackets, McLellan kept a levelled head when asked if a win in Montreal could help boost the back-end of their six-game road trip.
“It doesn't make tomorrow's task any easier, win or lose,” he said. “We're going to have to find some (energy) we're going to have to play a smart game but they're points in the bank that nobody can take away from you.
“After (a 5-0 loss to the Toronto Maple Leafs) the response was the big thing and getting the points was the icing on the cake.”
NOTES
The Canadiens announced following the game that defenceman Mike Matheson sustained a lower-body injury and has been listed as day-to-day.
FIALA FLYING
Kevin Fiala has found his stride in his first season with the Kings. The native of St. Gallen, Switzerland picked up 31 points (nine goals, 22 assists) in 30 games.
DANAULT RETURNS
Danault returned to Montreal to play the Canadiens as a King for a second time. He picked up one assist and was cheered by the Bell Centre crowd when his helper was announced.
UP NEXT
The Canadiens will host the Calgary Flames on Monday.
The Kings will continue their six-game road trip with a visit to Columbus to take on the Blue Jackets on Sunday.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Dec. 10, 2022.
Tristan D'Amours, The Canadian Press
