|
 Rookie Martin Jones set a franchise record for the best career
start by a goaltender as the Los Angeles Kings defeated the Edmonton
Oilers 3-0 Tuesday.
A former undrafted free agent, Jones won each of his first six games
with the Kings, eclipsing the mark of five held by Jason LaBarbera
and Daniel Berthiaume. Jones stopped 24 shots Tuesday for his third
shutout. He is a major reason Los Angeles (23-9-4) has yielded a
league-low 68 goals.
Los Angeles bounced back from a loss to the Blackhawks in Chicago on
Sunday that snapped a season-best, six-game winning streak. By
beating Edmonton, the Kings kept pace in the hotly contested Pacific
Division with the Anaheim Ducks and San Jose Sharks, both winners on
the road Tuesday.
Recalled after Kings regular goaltender Jonathan Quick suffered a
Grade 2 groin strain in late November, Jones realizes his historic
start will go a long way toward securing his future in Los Angeles.
With third goaltender Ben Scrivens an unrestricted free agent at
season's end, the stakes are high for the rookie.
"It's been a good start," Jones said. "I just want to make sure I
keep doing the little things here. We played pretty well the last
little stretch here, so we just want to make sure that we finish out
the last three games before the (Christmas) break here in the right
way."
The Kings were coming off a four-game road trip, and coach Darryl
Sutter was impressed with the team's effort. The Oilers played
Sunday in Anaheim against the Ducks, and they were a rested opponent
despite residing in the Western Conference basement.
"I was impressed with our team tonight because of the tough haul,"
Sutter said. "It's been a tough stretch of games, tough travel back
with them waiting for us. You score one goal, then you're fighting
the whole night."
The Oilers (11-22-3) remained winless through three games on a
four-game road trip, but they got a solid effort from goaltender
Ilya Bryzgalov, who stopped 37 of 39 shots.
Edmonton coach Dallas Eakins tried to remain optimistic in a season
that is slipping away. The loss put the Oilers 20 points behind the
final Western Conference wild-card position, and trade rumors are
under way.
"I thought we were able to play with them," Eakins said. "I thought
Bryzgalov was excellent, and we had the puck in our right skilled
players' hands to generate chances, and we couldn't score."
Los Angeles took the lead at 16:38 of the opening period.
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Kings defenseman Drew Doughty took possession of the puck
just inside the Edmonton blue line. Doughty drove down the slot
and threw a backhand pass to left winger Dwight King, who
wristed it home for his career-high ninth goal of the season.
Forward Jeff Carter earned the second assist.
After a scoreless second period, the teams traded breakaway
chances in the first half of the final period.
Oilers winger Taylor Hall was sprung three minutes into the
third, but his backhand shot rolled wide of the Los Angeles net.
Shortly thereafter, Carter came in alone on Bryzgalov, but his
backhand attempt was stopped to keep the one-goal margin in
place.
Hall was dangerous again for the Oilers with six minutes
remaining in regulation, but his wrist attempt from the slot
glanced off Jones' shoulder. He bemoaned the missed
opportunities that could have changed the outcome for his
struggling team.
"They are a good team. They are a heavy team. I thought we had
some good push-back tonight," Hall said. "Maybe if a couple of
bounces went our way and their goalie wasn't as hot as he is, it
could have been a different game. They like to get zone time on
us, but overall it was a pretty good effort."
Los Angeles finally padded its lead at 15:22 of the third. Nolan
gathered in a pass lobbed into the Edmonton zone by defenseman
Matt Greene and beat Bryzgalov low to the right side.
The Oilers had a chance to get within one with less than three
minutes left in regulation but could not capitalize on an
interference call on Los Angeles winger Dustin Brown.
Brown came out of the penalty box to add an empty-net goal for
his 400th career NHL point.
NOTES: Edmonton did not dress LW Jesse Joensuu, D Corey Potter
and C Anton Lander. ... Trade rumors continue to circulate
around the Oilers, with RW Ales Hemsky and LW Linus Omark
(currently with the team's AHL Oklahoma City affiliate)
garnering the most discussion. ... Edmonton finishes a four-game
road trip against the Colorado Avalanche in Denver on Thursday.
... Los Angeles scratched LW Kyle Clifford, LW Daniel Carcillo
and D Willie Mitchell. Mitchell suffered an upper-body injury in
Ottawa on Dec. 14 and missed his second straight game. ... The
Kings will play at home until the Christmas break, with upcoming
games against the San Jose Sharks (Thursday), Colorado
(Saturday) and the Dallas Stars (Monday).
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