Kings can’t convert chances
ST. PAUL, Minn. — Ryan Hartman scored twice and Filip Gustavsson made 33 saves as the Minnesota Wild beat the Kings 2-1 on Tuesday night.
Gustavsson, who started the day second in the NHL in goals-against average (2.16) and tied for second in save percentage (92.6%), was a winner for the fourth time in five games as Minnesota won its third straight game.
Pheonix Copley made 18 saves for the Kings, winners of seven of their last nine games. Anze Kopitar scored with 20.5 seconds remaining for the Kings in the opener of a four-game trip.
“We’re leaving here without any points, but I thought we played a pretty good game,” Kings coach Todd McLellan said.
“We played hard. We created a number of chances. I’m sure their goaltender was probably the first star. We just got to find a way to convert, and some nights it doesn’t go your way.”
Hartman’s goal 13 seconds into the second period was the 100th of his career.
He has three goals in two games, a good omen with Minnesota clinging to a playoff spot.
“Gust has been unbelievable,” Minnesota defenseman Jake Middleton said of Gustavsson.
“I don’t know if we can talk about him enough and then even Hartzy today, it was kind of that slow game where the neutral zone was clogged and we scored on our opportunities and fortunately Harts, he had two of them.”
Two of the top-seven teams in the NHL on the power play went a combined 0 for 4 with the man advantage.
Minnesota appeared to take an early advantage when rookie Adam Beckman seemingly scored his first NHL goal midway through the first.
But McLellan challenged the play for offsides. Hartman’s skate was just over the line before the puck and the goal was waved off.
Gustavsson has taken over as Minnesota’s top netminder with Marc-Andre Fleury struggling. Acquired from Ottawa for former starter Cam Talbot, Gustavsson made his sixth start in eight games.
After being given the lead by Hartman early in the second, Gustavsson held steady as the Kings outshot the Wild 14-4 in the period.
“A win is a win,” Gustavsson said of losing the shutout. “I would have been a little more nervous if that was minute and a half left in the game. It was, like, only 12 seconds left. We’re fine. We got the win. We got the two points. That’s the most important thing.”
The Kings had scored at least five goals in four straight games.
“We got some good Ozone time,” Kopitar said.
“We just couldn’t get it to go. Their goalie played good, give them credit with where credit is due.”