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Wednesday, Feb. 16 8:30pm ET
Kings pound 'Hawks for 4th straight win | |||||
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BOX SCORE
CHICAGO (AP) -- It's one down, six to go for the Los Angeles Kings. The Kings opened a pivotal seven-game road trip Wednesday night with their fourth straight win, 4-1 over the Chicago Blackhawks. Although Los Angeles was in control throughout, Kings coach Andy Murray doesn't want to look too far ahead as his team tries to secure a playoff spot. "The only thing I know now is we won't go 0-7 on this trip," he said. "After the next game, I want to make sure we won't go 1-6." Rob Blake had a goal and two assists for the Kings, who have won six of seven. Luc Robitaille, Bryan Smolinski and Glen Murray also scored for Los Angeles. The Kings, with 64 points, moved into a sixth-place tie in the Western Conference with San Jose. "We had a little bit of a letdown in the third period tonight, but we weathered the storm," Blake said. "We've got everyone back healthy now and we're getting back to the way we were skating to start the season. It's good timing." With his 546th career goal, Robitaille stretched his goal-scoring streak to three games. He has nine goals and eight assists in 11 contests. Chicago's Tony Amonte scored a short-handed breakaway goal at 7:05 of the third, ruining Jamie Storr's bid for his second shutout this season. The loss dealt another blow to the Blackhawks' fading playoff hopes. Chicago is 1-3-1 in its last five games and has lost 11 of 12 to Los Angeles. "There has to be an urgency of winning and it wasn't there tonight," said Chicago goalie Steve Passmore, who played in his first game since Jan. 13 and for only the third time in the Blackhawks' last 27 contests. Jocelyn Thibault didn't start because of a sore shoulder. The Kings outshot the Blackhawks 15-5 in the first period, but didn't score until Smolinski's goal from the left circle with 1:46 left in the frame. Set up by a long lead pass from Ziggy Palffy, Robitaille made it 2-0 during a Kings power play with 7:48 left in the second. After breaking in, Robitaille beat Passmore between the legs. Blake stretched the Kings' lead to 3-0 just 1:52 later on a high wrist shot from the top of the right circle. Amonte made it 3-1 at 7:05 of the third. After corralling the puck at center ice, Amonte raced in alone on Storr, and forced the Kings goalie to sprawl, before he scored for the fourth time in three games. Amonte, who leads Chicago with 27 goals, also scored short-handed Monday in a 4-3 home loss to Anaheim. Murray added an empty net goal with 1:16 left. | ALSO SEE NHL Scoreboard Los Angeles Clubhouse Chicago Clubhouse RECAPS Montreal 5 Atlanta 1
Los Angeles 4
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