BROWNNOSE
BOOTLICKER
LOS ANGELES – Patric Hornqvist scored two goals, Colin Wilson had a goal and two assists, and the Nashville Predators rallied for their fourth straight victory, 5-2 over the slumping Los Angeles Kings on Thursday night.
Sergei Kostitsyn also had a goal and two assists, and Marek Svatos scored his first goal for the Predators, who sent the Kings to their season-worst fifth straight loss.
Anders Lindback made 24 saves, but gave up second-period goals to Kings rookie Kyle Clifford and Jarret Stoll.
Nashville turned that two-goal deficit into a 3-2 lead during a 5:31 span midway through the period, connecting twice on the power play. Wilson had a hand in each second-period goal, earning his first three-point game of the season.
Hornqvist scored a goal for the fourth straight game in the second period before adding his team-leading 13th with 4:27 to play. Defensemen Shea Weber and Ryan Suter each had two assists for the Predators.
Jonathan Bernier stopped 23 shots for the Kings, who hit another low point in their up-and-down season.
After a promising start, Los Angeles is in its longest skid despite starting an eight-game homestand Dec. 30. Los Angeles won 13 of its first 16 games at home this season, but dropped to 0-4 on its current homestand after failing to respond to Nashville's second-period rally.
Nashville has firmly hit its stride after a five-game losing streak, winning twice in two days in southern California with sturdy goaltending behind its usual solid defense. One night after Pekka Rinne stopped 40 shots in a gritty 4-1 win in Anaheim, Lindback won in his first start since Dec. 22.
After a scoreless first period, the 19-year-old Clifford controlled the rebound of Marco Sturm's shot on a 2-on-1 break, scoring his third goal of the season. Stoll then connected during a power play, ending a 15-game goal drought with his first since Dec. 2.
Nashville scored during another power play just 1 minute later, with Wilson banking home a cross-ice pass from Suter despite partially whiffing on the shot. Wilson then assisted on the first goal of the season by Svatos, who was claimed off waivers from St. Louis on Dec. 29 after starting the season with Avangard Omsk in the Russian KHL.
Hornqvist completed the rally during another power play, redirecting a puck from Wilson.
Kostitsyn then connected with 10:50 to play on a simple wrist shot that was misplayed by Bernier.
NOTES: Nashville C Nick Spaling didn't return after incurring an upper-body injury in the first period. ... Los Angeles RW Wayne Simmonds bloodied Francis Boullion's face during a brutally one-sided fight moments after Hornqvist's goal. ... Kings C Anze Kopitar picked up his 200th and 201st career assists.
Sergei Kostitsyn also had a goal and two assists, and Marek Svatos scored his first goal for the Predators, who sent the Kings to their season-worst fifth straight loss.
Anders Lindback made 24 saves, but gave up second-period goals to Kings rookie Kyle Clifford and Jarret Stoll.
Nashville turned that two-goal deficit into a 3-2 lead during a 5:31 span midway through the period, connecting twice on the power play. Wilson had a hand in each second-period goal, earning his first three-point game of the season.
Hornqvist scored a goal for the fourth straight game in the second period before adding his team-leading 13th with 4:27 to play. Defensemen Shea Weber and Ryan Suter each had two assists for the Predators.
Jonathan Bernier stopped 23 shots for the Kings, who hit another low point in their up-and-down season.
After a promising start, Los Angeles is in its longest skid despite starting an eight-game homestand Dec. 30. Los Angeles won 13 of its first 16 games at home this season, but dropped to 0-4 on its current homestand after failing to respond to Nashville's second-period rally.
Nashville has firmly hit its stride after a five-game losing streak, winning twice in two days in southern California with sturdy goaltending behind its usual solid defense. One night after Pekka Rinne stopped 40 shots in a gritty 4-1 win in Anaheim, Lindback won in his first start since Dec. 22.
After a scoreless first period, the 19-year-old Clifford controlled the rebound of Marco Sturm's shot on a 2-on-1 break, scoring his third goal of the season. Stoll then connected during a power play, ending a 15-game goal drought with his first since Dec. 2.
Nashville scored during another power play just 1 minute later, with Wilson banking home a cross-ice pass from Suter despite partially whiffing on the shot. Wilson then assisted on the first goal of the season by Svatos, who was claimed off waivers from St. Louis on Dec. 29 after starting the season with Avangard Omsk in the Russian KHL.
Hornqvist completed the rally during another power play, redirecting a puck from Wilson.
Kostitsyn then connected with 10:50 to play on a simple wrist shot that was misplayed by Bernier.
NOTES: Nashville C Nick Spaling didn't return after incurring an upper-body injury in the first period. ... Los Angeles RW Wayne Simmonds bloodied Francis Boullion's face during a brutally one-sided fight moments after Hornqvist's goal. ... Kings C Anze Kopitar picked up his 200th and 201st career assists.