Glendale, AZ (Sports Network) - Mathieu Garon stopped all 40 shots he faced as
Los Angeles scored four power-play goals, including three straight to start
the game en route to a 4-0 victory over the Phoenix Coyotes.
Alexander Frolov, Anze Kopitar and Michael Cammalleri each had a goal and an
assist for the Kings, who halted a four-game losing streak and won for the
first time in Phoenix since March 10, 2004.
Goaltender Michael Morrison lasted just one period for the Coyotes, yielding
three goals on 13 shots. Curtis Joseph took over in the second period and
finished with 17 saves.
Just over four minutes into the first period, Ed Jovanovski was whistled for a
delay-of-game penalty after hitting the puck over the glass and the Kings
quickly paid for the mistake as Frolov knocked the puck off the back of
Morrison's head and into the net just 41 seconds later. The goal came under
question when it was thought that Frolov used a high stick to score the
goal, but replays confirmed the officials ruling.
Then, with Dennis Seidenberg off for hooking, Morrison managed to stop
Frolov's initial shot from the point, but Kopitar choked up on his stick and
poked the rebound into the back of the net from an almost impossible angle
with 3:31 left in the period.
Owen Nolan was then whistled for hooking with 2:58 left in the opening period
and just 16 seconds later, Dustin Brown made it 3-0 in favor of LA. Brent
Sopel fired a shot from the point that Sean Avery redirected right to Brown,
who had a wide open net to pick up his first goal of the season.
With yet another man-advantage, Cammalleri's slap shot slipped past Joseph
with 1:22 left in the second period to make it a four-goal game.
Things got chippy in the third period as Sopel exited the penalty box and
immediately blindsided Phoenix center Dave Scatchard. Nick Boynton stood up
for his teammate, pummeling Sopel to the ice. For his actions, Boynton
received a game misconduct.
