Jimmy Howard helps Detroit Red Wings beat Los Angeles Kings 7-4
Jimmy Howard stopped 35 shots to lift the Detroit Red Wings to a 7-4 victory over the Los Angeles Kings at the Staples Centre on Monday night.
Drew Miller lit the lamp twice while Dan Cleary and Mike Modano both had a goal for the Detroit Red Wings, who picked up their sixth straight road win. Nicklas Lidstrom and Pavel Datsyuk each also tallied a power play goal, while Darren Helm
netted a short-handed goal in the win.
Michal Handzus and Dustin Brown each found the net for Los Angeles, who have lost for just the second time in 16 games. Wayne Simmonds and Brad Richardson both also tallied a goal, while Jonathan Quick allowed six goals on 24 shots before
getting pulled. Jonathan Bernier replaced Quick and surrendered one goal on three shots.
Kings Head Coach Terry Murray said after the game, "You've got to have your goaltender on top of his game any time you play Detroit, and [Quick] had a real tough game."
Los Angeles drew first blood for a 1-0 lead nearly four minutes into the opening stanza. The goal came when Helm was called for tripping and Jarret Stoll ripped a point shot that caromed off the back boards. Handzus, who was at the right doorstep,
stuffed it out of the air and into the back of the net.
The lead lasted just for two and a half minutes, as Detroit tied the game at 1-1 thanks to Miller's apparently harmless centring pass from the left side, which somehow squeezed through for a goal. The Red Wings then went ahead by 2-1 just
30 seconds later when Jiri Hudle fired a shot from the right boards and Cleary deflected it between Quick's legs. The goal was confirmed after a video review.
Detroit doubled their advantage at 3-1 late in the first period. The goal came when Mike Modano made a nice hustle play behind the net and slipped the disc to Lidstrom, who blasted a slap shot for his 13th goal of the season.
Los Angeles wasted two power-play opportunities in the middle session, and Detroit netted another goal to make it a 4-1 game late on its power play opportunity. The goal came when Datsyuk came in unmarked and knocked the puck into the top right
corner of the net.
The Red Wings special teams continued to shine in the final frame, as Helm recorded an unassisted short-handed goal to extend their lead to 5-1 just two minutes into the period. Quick was yanked after giving up Miller's sixth goal of the
season four minutes later, and Bernier allowed a goal to Hudler halfway through the third stanza.
Brown, Simmonds and Richardson all registered goals with nearly seven minutes left in the game to account for the final scoring at 7-4.
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