Music: {allcanada} Carter's goal gets Kings past Canadiens

Monday, March 3, 2014

{allcanada} Carter's goal gets Kings past Canadiens

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LOS ANGELES -- In a game in which the Los Angeles Kings and Montreal Canadiens combined for 13 shots through 30 minutes, Jeff Carter's 250th career goal allowed the Kings to earn a 2-1 win at Staples Center on Monday night.

For a brief moment, it seemed like the seas parted when Anze Kopitar tossed a pretty backhand pass to Carter. The latter one-timed Kopitar's pass into an open net 4:14 into the second period for a power-play goal and L.A. scratched out its fifth straight win.

The Kings continued to taper for the Stanley Cup Playoffs, and again they were anchored by goalie Jonathan Quick, who improved to 4-0-0 with 90 saves on 93 shots in his past four games. He recorded his first career win against Montreal in three tries.

The Canadiens began a four-game stretch away from home with a poor performance on special teams. Their fourth-ranked penalty-killing unit allowed Carter's goal, which came with Ryan White serving one of two penalties taken 200 feet from Montreal's net.

The Canadiens had one shot on goal on three power plays and didn't get into a rhythm until the third period against a Kings team that specializes in third-period closeouts.

Montreal's goal came on a fluke bounce, but it was the result of a good shift by P.K. Subban, who started the possession in L.A.'s end and sent a shot from the right wall that Quick redirected to the skate of Jarret Stoll and into the goal at 14:45 of the first.

The Kings enjoyed a dominant start and scored on a rush when trailer Jake Muzzin beat Peter Budaj with a wrist shot 1:54 into the game. It was a rather soft goal by Budaj, who otherwise got Montreal through a third-period push.

Los Angeles came inches from taking a 3-1 lead at the end of the second when Drew Doughty hit the post and Kopitar missed an open net on a power play.

Carey Price was placed on injured reserve before the game, although he can be eligible to play Wednesday when Montreal visits the Anaheim Ducks.

It was L.A.'s first home win against Montreal since March 8, 2003.

Stoll played in his 700th game and Canadiens forward Max Pacioretty played in his 300th.

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