Kings Sweep Homestand With 5-2 Win Over Blue Jackets
LOS ANGELES (CBSLA.com/AP) — Jeff Carter scored during a two-man advantage in Los Angeles' three-goal second period, and the Kings completed a sweep of their six-game homestand with a 5-2 victory over the Columbus Blue Jackets on Sunday.
Columbus left wing Nick Foligno was seriously injured with 11:34 left in third period and taken off on a stretcher with a neck brace. Carter checked him along the boards in front of the Kings' bench and Foligno's head rammed into the elbow of linesman Shane Heyer, who had jumped on top of the dasher in an attempt to avoid both players.
Tanner Pearson scored twice in the third as the Kings swept a homestand of at least six games for the first time in franchise history. In two of the wins, they were outshot 43-18 by St. Louis and 41-16 by Minnesota. The defending Stanley Cup champions didn't win more than five in a row at home at any time last season, including the playoffs.
Tyler Toffoli and Dwight King also scored for the Kings, and Jonathan Quick made 22 saves.
Columbus goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky, who was looking for his 100th NHL victory, stopped 22 shots.
Quick, who broke Rogie Vachon's club record with his 33rd shutout on Thursday in a 2-0 victory over Buffalo, has yielded just four goals on 169 shots over his last five starts -- including a 1-0 shootout win against the Blues.
Defenseman Tim Erixson scored his first NHL goal and Mark Letestu also scored for Columbus.
Kings defenseman Robyn Regehr assisted on the go-ahead goal at 16:30 of the second period. His long slap shot hit traffic in front, but Carter set up Toffoli at the left of the net for his fourth goal.
King and Letestu traded goals in final 1 1/2 minutes of the second period. Letestu beat Quick high to the glove side with a screened wrist shot from the top of the left circle just 32 seconds after King got his first of the season.
Pearson added an insurance goal with 8:11 to play, outracing James Wisniewski to a loose puck after Toffoli flipped it across high in the air across the neutral zone from deep in his own end.
Halfway through the third period, play was halted when Columbus forward Nick Foligno collided with Shane Heyer along the boards. Foligno went down and ended up being taken off the ice on a stretcher.
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