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California love: Ducks return west to visit Kings

Dec 26, 2010 - 3:37 PM (Sports Network) - After some much-needed time off, the Anaheim Ducks return to the West Coast to continue a seven-game road trip in Los Angeles against the Kings at the Staples Center.

The Ducks went 2-3-0 out east to begin the season-long swing, playing those five games in seven days. After shutting out Boston on Monday, Anaheim dropped a 5-2 decision in Buffalo the following night.

Backup Curtis McElhinney allowed five goals on 42 shots and Corey Perry netted a pair of power-play goals in the third period for the Ducks, who are 7-10-3 on the road and wrap their swing in Phoenix on Tuesday.

"It's always tough going back-to-back into a break. We've been on the road for a long time," Ducks center Ryan Getzlaf said. "Those are all excuses. That doesn't justify anything that we've done on the ice."

Jonas Hiller made 45 saves on Monday in Boston to record his second shutout of the season. His first came at home versus the Kings on Nov. 29, a 27-save effort that resulted in a 2-0 victory. Hiller is 6-5-0 with a 2.24 goals- against average in his career against Los Angeles.

The Ducks picked up their third victory in the last four games against their Pacific Division rivals, but they have still dropped six of nine overall to the Kings and four of their last six in Los Angeles.

The Kings picked up a second victory in a row their last time out on Thursday, recording a 3-2 shootout triumph over the Oilers. It marked the sixth straight game between the two clubs at the Staples Center that went into a shootout and Edmonton had won the previous five.

Dustin Brown and Jarret Stoll scored in the shootout on Thursday, with Stoll's game-winner coming in the sixth round, and Jonathan Quick ended with 27 saves through overtime and another five in the breakaway session.

Jack Johnson had a goal and an assist and Justin Williams also scored in regulation for Los Angeles, which is 4-0-1 in its last five at home and 12-2-1 at the Staples Center overall this season.

"We're in the win column. They're a team that has a lot of skill and if you don't respect them they're going to make you pay," Williams said. "Obviously we didn't have the best game but at the end we had our big players step up and score some goals and Quick made some great saves to get us the two points."

Quick made 17 saves in the loss to the Ducks in November, falling to 5-2-1 with a 2.74 GAA versus them.

Williams has three goals in his last four games as well as five tallies and 10 points in 12 career contests against Anaheim.