Gabriel Vilardi scored in the fourth round of a shootout, Jonathan Quick stopped 20 shots and the Los Angeles Kings beat the Arizona Coyotes 3-2 on Thursday night.
The Kings jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the first period on goals by Dustin Brown and Jeff Carter.
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Gabriel Vilardi scored in the fourth round of a shootout, Jonathan Quick stopped 20 shots and the Los Angeles Kings beat the Arizona Coyotes 3-2 on Thursday night.
Quick made a sprawling save to stop Kessel early in overtime and had a couple more tough stops to send the game to a shootout.
The Coyotes were glad to see someone else across the ice after playing St. Louis in the first seven-game, regular-season series in NHL or NBA history.
Carter made it 2-0 midway through the first period, poking the puck under Kuemper on a play ruled goalie interference but overturned on review.
Kuemper and Quick were sharp in the third period, each making some difficult saves to force overtime.
Arizona Coyotes right wing Conor Garland (83) celebrates his goal against the Los Angeles Kings with Coyotes' defenseman Jason Demers (55), right wing Clayton Keller (9) and center Nick Schmaltz, right, during the second period of an NHL hockey game Thursday, Feb. 18, 2021, in Glendale, Ariz. (AP PhotoRoss D. Franklin)
The Coyotes rallied with two in the second — Phil Kessel's first goal in 12 games and Conor Garland's seventh of the season.
Los Angeles Kings center Jeff Carter (77) goes after the puck after upending Arizona Coyotes center Christian Dvorak (18) as Kings center Anze Kopitar (11) helps his teammates out out during the first period of an NHL hockey game Thursday, Feb. 18, 2021, in Glendale, Ariz. (AP PhotoRoss D. Franklin)
Quick made a sprawling save to stop Kessel early in overtime and had a couple more tough stops to send the game to a shootout.
Arizona's Clayton Keller sent a shot over the goal in the fourth round of the shootout and Vilardi beat Darcy Kuemper to end it.
Kuemper had 27 saves.
Los Angeles Kings center Jeff Carter, right, scores a goal against Arizona Coyotes goaltender Darcy Kuemper (35) as Coyotes defenseman Oliver Ekman-Larsson (23) tries to help during the first period of an NHL hockey game Thursday, Feb. 18, 2021, in Glendale, Ariz. (AP PhotoRoss D. Franklin)
The Coyotes were glad to see someone else across the ice after playing St. Louis in the first seven-game, regular-season series in NHL or NBA history.
Arizona took that series 4-3, closing out Monday's seventh game with a 1-0 victory behind Kuemper, who got his first shutout of the season.
The Kings didn't take long to end Kuemper's scoreless streak, scoring 4 1/2 minutes in when Brown slipped a shot under Kuemper’s left pad. Anze Kopitar started the play by fishing the puck out of a scrum along the side boards.
Los Angeles Kings center Anze Kopitar (11) celebrates a goal by Kings' Dustin Brown against Arizona Coyotes goaltender Darcy Kuemper, right, during the first period of an NHL hockey game Thursday, Feb. 18, 2021, in Glendale, Ariz. (AP PhotoRoss D. Franklin)
Carter made it 2-0 midway through the first period, poking the puck under Kuemper on a play ruled goalie interference but overturned on review.
The Coyotes stormed back to start the second period.
Garland scored a minute in when his shot from the slot his Kings forward Alex Iafallo's stick and caromed past Quick. Kessel tied it four minutes later with his fifth of the season, and first since Jan. 20, by flipping a rebound past Quick through traffic.
Arizona Coyotes goaltender Darcy Kuemper (35) reaches out to make a save on a shot from Los Angeles Kings right wing Alex Iafallo (19) as Coyotes center Christian Dvorak (18) looks on during the first period of an NHL hockey game Thursday, Feb. 18, 2021, in Glendale, Ariz. (AP PhotoRoss D. Franklin)
Kuemper and Quick were sharp in the third period, each making some difficult saves to force overtime.
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The teams close out their two-game series in the desert on Saturday.
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Arizona Coyotes right wing Phil Kessel (81) gets the puck past Los Angeles Kings right wing Adrian Kempe (9), Kings defenseman Drew Doughty (8), defenseman Mikey Anderson (44) as goaltender Jonathan Quick (32) is unable to see the puck as Kessel scores a goal during the second period of an NHL hockey game Thursday, Feb. 18, 2021, in Glendale, Ariz. (AP PhotoRoss D. Franklin)
Arizona Coyotes right wing Conor Garland (83) celebrates his goal against the Los Angeles Kings with Coyotes' defenseman Jason Demers (55), right wing Clayton Keller (9) and center Nick Schmaltz, right, during the second period of an NHL hockey game Thursday, Feb. 18, 2021, in Glendale, Ariz. (AP PhotoRoss D. Franklin)