Shootout Kings: L.A. Crowns Panthers With Comeback

November 17, 2009 6:59 a.m. EST

Sunrise, FL (AHN) -  A 2-0 second-period deficit proved to be no problem for the Los Angeles Kings Monday.

They methodically came back using two power-play goals and a shorthanded tally to take a 3-2 lead in the third period, and then recorded a 4-3 shootout victory over the Florida Panthers.

The Kings (13-7-2) won when defenseman Jack Johnson beat Tomas Vokoun on a second-round goal.

Los Angeles is now 9-3-2 in its last 14 games, and improved to 6-2-1 in its last nine road games. The Kings were coming off a 2-1 shootout victory at Tampa Bay Saturday.

 "We finished this one off and actually built off the game against Tampa Bay, so I would say it ended up being pretty good trip for us," Kings coach Terry Murray said.

The Kings have won five consecutive games over the Panthers, including three consecutive at the BankAtlantic Center.

Los Angeles got goals from Johnson, Randy Jones and Jarret Stoll. Center Anze Kopitar, the league's leading scorer with 32 points, had an assist and now has points in 18 of the Kings' 22 games.

The Panthers (7-9-2), who hold the league's second-worst home record at 3-5-1, which includes one of the two games against Chicago in Finland, entered with a two-game winning streak with both being both shootout victories.

They felt they should have recorded a third shootout win Monday.

 "I thought the difference was we had two or three opportunities to extend (our lead) to 3-0," Florida coach Peter DeBoer said.

Kings goaltender Jonathan Quick had 26 saves and stopped shots by Rostislav Olesz, Steven Reinprecht and Cory Stillman in the shootout.

 "That was my first time seeing the goaltender," DeBoer said. "I thought he was real impressive." So was Los Angeles overcoming its 0-2 deficit.

 "We were fine," Murray said. "We were still making plays, cycling the puck. We never panicked and that's a maturity sign."

Florida tied the game at 3 at the 14:55 mark when right wing Victor Oreskovich scored his first career NHL goal. Oreskovich, a 23-year-old rookie, quit hockey in 2007. He got the taste for the game again before the season and DeBoer, who had coached him in the Canadian junior hockey (Ontario), convinced Florida general manager Randy Sexton to take a chance on him.

The Kings took their 3-2 lead on a short-handed goal at the 7:58 mark of the third period. Panthers goalie Tomas Vokoun had center Michael Handzus' high shot bounce off of him and Jones flicked the rebound in the net.

Kings winger Ryan Smyth, the team's second-leading scorer with nine goals and 23 points, went out with an upper body injury in the third period. But Florida couldn't take advantage.

"Their record is no fluke," Murray said. "They've beaten a lot of good teams."