Kings crown Canucks in overtime
LOS ANEGELS 2 VANCOUVER 1 (OT)
VANCOUVER — Dustin Brown scored 53 seconds into overtime, helping the Los Angeles Kings to a 2-1 win over the Vancouver Canucks on Tuesday.
Alex Iafallo scored for the Kings in regulation.
Markus Granlund tied the game for the Canucks with under four minutes to go in the third.
Cal Petersen made 32 saves for the Kings (9-14-1) and Jacob Markstrom stopped 23 for the Canucks (11-13-3).
Iafallo was first to find the back of the net 10:45 into the second period.
The Kings left-winger collected a pass from Brown high in the face-off circle and sailed a slapshot past Markstrom for his fifth goal of the season.
It seemed as though his goal would be the only one of the game until late in the third when Granlund tied things up for Vancouver.
With less than four minutes to go in the game, the Canucks centre deflected the puck in past Petersen, tying the score 1-1 for his fifth goal of the season.
Veteran goalie Jonathan Quick return to L.A.’s lineup as Petersen’s backup. The 32-year-old has struggled with a lower-body injury this season and missed the Kings last 12 games.
Meanwhile, the Canucks got an offensive force back in the form of Brock Boeser. The right-winger has been out since early November, missing 11 games with a lowerbody injury.
Boeser got a backhander that rang off the post in the second period, but the 21-year-old couldn’t add to the 11 points he’s amassed so far this season.
Tuesday night also marked Kings head coach Willie Desjardins’s first return to Rogers Arena. The former Canucks bench boss was fired at the end of the 2016-2017 campaign.
He took over as the Kings’ head coach after the club turfed John Stevens earlier in November.
Desjardins received a mix of cheers and jeers from the crowd as his face was flashed on the big screen before the game.
Vancouver continues its fivegame homestand on Thursday, hosting the Vegas Golden Knights.
Hurricanes 2, Canadiens 1
MONTREAL — Shea Weber’s return from injury gave a big boost to the Montreal Canadiens even though they couldn’t come away with the victory.
Weber played in his first game since Dec. 16, 2017 as the Canadiens lost 2-1 to the Carolina Hurricanes on Tuesday night on a 48-save effort by Curtis McElhinney.
The 33-year-old Weber missed 73 games after having two surgeries — one on his right knee and another to repair a torn tendon in his left foot.
“Definitely felt better as the game went on,” said the Canadiens defenceman, who wore the captain’s “C” on his Montreal sweater for the first time. “I think it’s going to keep getting better as we go here. Obviously practice is different, so being in those actual situations where you have to react, and things are happening quickly, will be good as we go.
“Was nervous before the game and anxious to get my first shift out of the way.”
Weber, who received a nice ovation from the Bell Centre crowd when he stepped onto the ice, got on the scoresheet by assisting on Montreal’s thirdperiod goal. He also had three shots on net, eight shots blocked and one hit in 25:19 of ice time.
The 22 shots allowed by the Canadiens is tied for the fewest given up all season. Despite the loss, Montreal conceded fewer than three goals for just the seventh time in 25 games this season.
“You notice him all over the ice,” said Brendan Gallagher of Weber’s return. “The amount of time we spent in our own zone was definitely less. His presence in front of our net was seen as well. And his shot. He got off at least five or six one-timers tonight.
“He’s the leader of our group so it’s good to have him back.”
Montreal’s scoring woes continued, with Claude Julien’s men only managing seven goals in their last four games.
Down 2-0 heading into the third period, the Canadiens (11-9-5) fired everything they could at Carolina’s McElhinney, who made 21 saves in the final frame alone.
Phillip Danault scored the only goal for Montreal. After a shot from Weber fell to Artturi Lehkonen, the Finnish winger found Danault in the slot for his second goal of the year at 9:29.
Oilers 1, Stars 0 (OT)
EDMONTON — Oscar Klefbom’s first goal of the season came in overtime as the Edmonton Oilers came away with a 1-0 victory over the Dallas Stars on Tuesday.
Goalie Mikko Koskinen made 28 saves to earn his second career shutout for Edmonton (11-11-2).
Anton Khudobin stopped 30 shots in net as the Stars (12-11-2).