(Sports Network) - The Los Angeles Kings look to wrap their road trip with a
second straight victory on Wednesday night as they visit the Calgary Flames.
The Kings opened their three-game swing with a one-goal loss to the Chicago
Blackhawks on Sunday, then rebounded to beat the Edmonton Oilers 3-1 on
Tuesday. Jeff Carter was credited with the game-winning goal with 49.4 seconds
left in regulation and Jarret Stoll sealed Los Angeles' third victory in four
games with an empty-netter.
Carter's goal came off an Edmonton turnover as Trevor Lewis stole the puck and
raced into the Oilers zone. He then fired a shot from the left circle that
nicked off Carter's stick and in, giving the forward his seventh goal in 12
games.
Colin Fraser also had a goal and Jonathan Quick notched 23 saves in the win.
"They have a really good team over there and they limited the chances we had,"
said Los Angeles defenseman Drew Doughty. "But still, we need to bear down
more on our chances and get more pucks on the net."
Los Angeles inched closer to the .500 mark on the road, moving to 4-5-1
compared to a 2-1-1 record at home. After Wednesday's game, 13 of the Kings'
next 16 are at home.
Calgary begins its own three-game homestand after splitting a pair of road
contests in Dallas and Phoenix. The Flames rallied back for a 4-3 win over the
Stars on Sunday, overcoming a two-goal deficit before getting blanked 4-0 by
the Coyotes the following night.
"It was not a team effort. We had some guys who took the option on this game
and they just didn't show up," Calgary coach Bob Hartley said. "When you don't
have 20 players on the back-to-back showing up, it's impossible to win.
"Tonight there's no message. The game is over. Obviously I talked to them and
I told them exactly what I just told you. In this league it's so tough to win
some games if you don't have 20 guys on board for every game."
Danny Taylor made his first NHL start and posted 33 saves. It was also just
his second career appearance and first since March 29, 2008 while with the
Kings.
"I think he would have liked to see the second goal (again), but at the same
time, if you don't score goals, you can't even look at what the goalie did for
you because you can't win if you don't score," said Hartley.
Taylor's start also saw the Flames match a franchise record as he became the
fourth different goaltender to start a game for Calgary in its first 14
contests of the season. The club also had to turn to four different netminders
in 14 contests to begin the 1993-94 campaign.
While the Flames and Kings split four meetings a season ago, both teams won
twice on the road. That gave Los Angeles three straight wins in Calgary since
losing 10 in a row there.
The Sports Network