LOS ANGELES – Jake Muzzin and Jeff Carter scored third-period goals and Vincent Lecavalier had an assist while making his Kings debut in Los Angeles’ 2-1 victory over the Toronto Maple Leafs on Thursday night.
Lecavalier set up Muzzin for the game’s first goal with 17:07 to play, capping a solid effort in the 17-year NHL veteran’s first game since Nov. 12.
Los Angeles acquired Lecavalier and defenceman Luke Schenn from Philadelphia on Wednesday, and both veterans played solidly against the Maple Leafs a few hours after their cross-country flight.
Peter Holland scored a power-play goal midway through the third period, and James Reimer stopped 39 shots in his first start since Dec. 3 for the Maple Leafs. Toronto’s three-game winning streak ended in the middle stop of its three-game California trip.
Carter also scored in his return from a five-game injury absence for the Kings, who have won six of seven to open a 10-point lead over Arizona atop the Pacific Division.
Jonathan Quick made 25 saves to remain unbeaten since Dec. 22 for Los Angeles despite losing his bid for his third shutout in eight starts. He has won 13 of his last 15 starts, yielding just five goals in the past five.
Reimer missed all but one period of the past five weeks with a persistent groin injury. He had a busy night against the Kings’ shot-heavy offence, but his teammates couldn’t get an even-strength goal past Quick.
Toronto had several strong chances to tie it, but Schenn ended his debut with an enormous defensive play, poking the puck away from Quick’s net in the final minute.
Lecavalier had been a constant healthy scratch with the Flyers, but the former Richard Trophy winner capably centred the Kings’ fourth line. He had one assist in seven games with Philadelphia this season before entering limbo, which ended with a trade and one more chance to win the Stanley Cup before he retires this summer.
Toronto defenceman Roman Polak got a game misconduct after checking Tyler Toffoli headfirst into the boards late in the first period. Toffoli turned his back shortly before the hit, which left him down on the ice for several moments.
Referee Kelly Sutherland also left the game late in the first period after Muzzin’s shoulder hit him in the head.
Both Sutherland and Toffoli returned for the scoreless second period.
A few minutes after Muzzin put his wrist shot into the top corner, Carter scored his 12th goal on a slick cross-ice pass from Marian Gaborik.
NOTES: Los Angeles avenged a 5-0 loss in Toronto on Dec. 19. … The Kings opened a four-game homestand after playing just two games at Staples Center in the previous 4 1/2 weeks. … C Nick Shore and D Jamie McBain were scratched in favour of the Kings’ new arrivals. … Carter had been out since Dec. 28 with an upper-body injury.
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