Adrian Kempe scored four consecutive goals between the second and third periods as the Los Angeles Kings returned from their All-Star break in style by rolling past the visiting Pittsburgh Penguins 6-0 on Saturday.
Jaret Anderson-Dolan and Alex Iafallo each scored goals as the Kings won in their first game since Jan. 31, when they closed a six-game road trip with a 5-4 overtime loss to the Carolina Hurricanes.
Kempe became the first player in Kings history to score four consecutive goals in a game, while Los Angeles goalie Pheonix Copley made 25 saves one day after he agreed to a one-year contract extension. It was Copley’s first shutout of the season.
The Penguins were shut out for the first time this season.
Pittsburgh’s Sidney Crosby saw his nine-game points streak come to an end, leaving with just over 10 minutes remaining when he was given a game misconduct after he was cross checked by the Kings’ Mikey Anderson.
Pittsburgh goalie Casey DeSmith, starting for the second consecutive night, allowed three goals on 15 shots before he was pulled after Kempe’s first goal at 1:58 of the second period. Dustin Tokarski entered, gave up Kempe’s second goal just over three minutes later and finished with 13 saves.
Los Angeles started fast, getting Anderson-Dolan’s seventh goal of the season just 2:28 into the game off a deflection. Iafallo scored at 17:47 of the opening period on a shot from close range.
Kempe’s first goal, to chase DeSmith from the game, came on a hard shot from the left circle and he followed that with a blast from the right circle at 5:18 of the period. He earned his third-career hat trick after picking up a loose puck and lifting it over Tokarski’s left pad.
Kempe’s fourth goal, and 26th of the season, came with just under five minutes remaining.
Three Kempe goals came on primary assists from Anze Kopitar, who reached 30 assists for the 16th time in his 17 seasons. Rasmus Kupari, Kevin Fiala and Drew Doughty each had two assists for Los Angeles.
–Field Level Media
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