Los Angeles Defeats New Jersey 3-1 As Kovalchuk Is Held Pointless

(Sports Network) - Jonathan Quick stopped 39 shots to help the Los Angeles Kings take a 3-1 win over the New Jersey Devils at Staples Center.

Jarret Stoll had a goal and two assists, Justin Williams had a goal and an assist while Michal Handzus added a power-play goal for the Kings, who have won four of five.

“The bottom line is winning games in the National Hockey League, and I’m very pleased by the fact that we came back [from the road trip] and got two points,” said Kings head coach Terry Murray. “It was a very hard game for us and I like the way we dug in. I know they out-played and out-shot us in the third period, but in critical times we responded.”

Matt Taormina scored the lone goal for the Devils, who have dropped four of their last five and failed to win consecutive games for the first time this year. Martin Brodeur was tagged with all three goals on 23 shots.

“Tonight’s game was tough,” said New Jersey head coach John MacLean. “A couple of mistakes and it’s in the net. We pushed it a little in the third period, but we weren’t getting the scoring we needed.”

It’s been a tough season for the Devils thus far as the team is dead last in the NHL with just seven points and has given up 39 goals while scoring just 20 for a league-worst minus-19.

Williams scored on a snap shot at the 6:52 mark of the first for the only goal of the frame and a 1-0 Los Angeles lead.

The Kings took a 2-0 advantage at the 9:32 mark of the second on Handzus’ power-play tally.

The Devils got on the board just over a minute later when Taormina scored on a wrist shot for his third marker of the season.

Los Angeles, though, got it back just 24 seconds later when Stoll’s backhander found its way past Brodeur.

Quick was on his game in the third period as he stopped 20 shots in the frame to guide the Kings to the win.

Los Angeles hosts Tampa Bay on Thursday...New Jersey plays the fifth of a six- game road trip in Vancouver on Monday...The Kings have taken three straight over the Devils...Los Angeles went 1-for-3 on the power play while the Devils failed to score on either of their two opportunities.