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Kings top road-weary Blackhawks

Nov 30, 2008 - 2:34 AM By John Reger PA SportsTicker Contributing Writer

LOS ANGELES (Ticker) -- The Los Angeles Kings recorded their second consecutive victory, defeating the Chicago Blackhawks, 5-2, on Saturday.

The Kings scored 1:18 into the game but had to rally against the weary Blackhawks, who finished their sixth game in 11 days, including a 1-0 loss to Anaheim on Friday. Chicago went 4-1-1 on the trip.

Having to turn around and play another game at the end of the road trip seemed to bother the Blackhawks.

"I'm not happy with this ending," Chicago coach Joel Quenneville said. "It's the worst we've been. So disappointing the way we started this road trip and the way we ended it was tough. You can't be happy. We have to be better than that."

Five different Kings scored and they overcame a 2-1 deficit with four straight goals in the second and third periods.

"We knew we had to come out strong and work hard and be aggressive," Alexander Frolov said. "I think we did that today."

The Kings first goal came when Michal Handzus picked up a rebound from Frolov's shot and sent a back hander in front of the net that was tipped by Jarret Stoll past goaltender Cristobal Huet.

The Blackhawks got the equalizer midway through the period when Patrick Sharp got a cross ice pass from Brent Seabrook and snapped a shot past Kings goalie Erik Ersberg.

An inadvertent high stick by Oscar Moller that drew blood from the face of Dave Bolland set up Chicago's second goal of the period. Moller got a double minor for high sticking and the Blackhawks scored less than a minute later. Patrick Kane got a pass from Sharp in the right circle and sent a one-timer past Ersberg's glove side.

The Kings had a two-man advantage late in the second period, but could not take advantage of it, but they did get a goal as the power play ended. Frolov picked up the puck in front of the crease and knocked it into the net after Huet blocked a shot, but could not control it.

The winning goal came 6:16 into the third period when Derek Armstrong took advantage of another mishandling of the puck by Huet. Kyle Quincey sent a shot at Huet, which he initially stopped but then let the puck hit the ice and Armstrong, who is not playing full time, got a stick on it and pushed it into the net.

"It's definitely tough, that's my role right now," Armstrong said. "We have a good team here and it doesn't matter what you do, especially when you get older, it's all about winning games. You appreciate winning hockey more. That's all that counts. If I can help chip in goals here and there I'll do it."

Kyle Calder tallied in the third as did Patrick O'Sullivan, who capped the scoring with an empty-net goal.

"It's real disappointing," said Brian Campbell on the loss. "We are one point above .500. If you want to be a playoff team that's unacceptable. We are getting back into bad habits and you know where that got us."