Adrian Kempe and Viktor Arvidsson scored in the shootout, Jonathan Quick made 17 saves and the host Los Angeles Kings snapped the Vancouver Canucks’ seven-game winning streak under new coach Bruce Boudreau with a 2-1 victory Thursday night.
Brendan Lemieux scored his sixth goal of the season in the second period for the Kings, who earned a point for the sixth time in eight games and snapped a five-game skid in their Pacific Division rivalry with Vancouver.
Bo Horvat scored Vancouver’s tying goal with 7:54 left in regulation, and J.T. Miller extended his scoring streak to eight games with an assist for the Canucks.
MILLER DIVING PASS >>>>>>>>>>>>> pic.twitter.com/8OqP9IMDIn
— Vancouver #Canucks (@Canucks) December 31, 2021
Kempe scored in the first round of the shootout, and Horvat tied it in the third. Arvidsson connected for LA in the fifth round, and Quick stopped former Kings teammate Tanner Pearson to end it.
Jaroslav Halak stopped 34 shots while carrying the Canucks for long stretches of his first start since Dec. 14 and his second since Nov. 28. The well-traveled 36-year-old veteran has made just eight appearances behind starter Thatcher Demko.
Boudreau’s winning streak began with a 4-0 victory over the Kings in his debut in Vancouver on Dec. 6. The likable veteran bench boss then tied the NHL record for the longest winning streak to start a coaching tenure when the Canucks beat his former Anaheim Ducks team in overtime last Tuesday night.
Quick gave the latest excellent performance in his impressive bounce-back season, but lost his shutout bid during a power play caused by Arvidsson shooting the puck over the glass. Miller made an exceptional play to corral the puck and fling it toward the net to Horvat, who tapped it home for his 11th goal.
Quick stopped Horvat on a breakaway in overtime after a turnover by Kings captain Anze Kopitar.
READ MORE: Vancouver Canucks beat Ducks 2-1 in OT for 7th straight win under Boudreau
After a scoreless first period, Blake Lizotte’s forechecking forced a turnover that led to Lemieux’s deflection of Christian Wolanin’s long shot. Lemieux’s six goals in 21 games for LA are more than he scored in 49 games last season between the Rangers and Kings.
Lemieux also drew a penalty shot 57 seconds into the third period when Tyler Myers chopped at him on a breakaway, but Halak easily stopped Lemieux’s low attempt.
COVID-19 WOES
Phillip Danault returned for the Kings from a stint on the non-roster/COVID-19 list that forced him to miss Tuesday’s loss to Vegas. Cal Petersen exited the protocols Wednesday and served as Quick’s backup against the Canucks.
Vancouver’s COVID-19 problems grew Thursday when forward Justin Dowling entered the league protocols. A day earlier, Brock Boeser and Phil Di Giuseppe joined Alex Chiasson.
UP NEXT
Canucks: At Seattle on Saturday.
Kings: Host Philadelphia on Saturday.
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