Kings take 2-0 series lead against Blues

ST. LOUIS – The eighth-seeded Los Angeles Kings took down the No. 1 Vancouver Canucks in the first round of the NHL playoffs and now they are threatening to do the same to the No. 2 St. Louis Blues.


By Dilip Vishwanat, Getty Images
Los Angeles' Dustin Penner and Anze Kopitar mix it up with St. Louis' David Backes.
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By Dilip Vishwanat, Getty Images
Los Angeles' Dustin Penner and Anze Kopitar mix it up with St. Louis' David Backes.
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The Kings got a goal 31 seconds into the first period by Mike Richards and then rolled to a 5-2 win against the Blues that gives Los Angeles a 2-0 series lead as the best-of-seven Western Conference semifinal moves to Los Angeles for Games 3 and 4.
The Blues were playing without top defenseman Alex Pietrangelo, who is day-to-day with an undisclosed injury.
RESULTS: Kings 5, Blues 2
PHOTOS: Top shots from the NHL playoffs
Anze Kopitar scored a pair of goals, including the Kings' fourth short-handed goal of the postseason. Jeff Carter and Justin Williams also contributed their first goals of this postseason.
Kopitar's short-handed goal was a made-for-television special event. After taking a perfect setup by Dustin Brown, Kopitar patiently waited for Brian Elliott to extend across the net before kicking the puck to his stick and tucking it past Elliott's out-stretched pad.
The Kings, who were ranked 29th out of 30 NHL games in regular-season scoring, built a 4-0 first period lead before Andy McDonald scored his fifth goal at 18 seconds of the second period to make it a 4-1 game.
But 1:08 later Williams scored to regain the King' four-goal cushion. Brown drew his third assist of the game on that play. He now has nine points in his seven postseason games this season. Dustin Penner also added a pair of assists for the Kings.
The Blues didn't even get a shot on goal until almost 10 minutes were gone in the firt period, and they were outshot 16-5 in the period. The Blues played better defensively in the second period, holding the Kings to two shots.
Matt D'Agostini cut the Kings' lead to three goals at 5:16 of the third period. He was set up by David Backes after Kings Slava Voynov committed a costly give-away.
Kopitar had a chance to complete his hat trick when he ended up on a breakaway with 6:43 remaining, but his shot missed the net. The Kings were short-handed at the time.