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Kings aim to start win streak in clash with Coyotes

Jan 28, 2014 - 4:29 PM (SportsNetwork.com) - After snapping a five-game skid with a win on Monday, the Los Angeles Kings will try to make it two in a row when they visit the struggling Phoenix Coyotes in Tuesday's Pacific Division clash at Jobing.com Arena.

The Kings were mired in an 0-4-1 slide and had lost four straight in regulation before Jonathan Quick came through with a shutout in Monday's 1-0 win at San Jose. Los Angeles was able to avoid its longest losing streak since dropping eight in a row from Dec. 12-26, 2007. The team was coming off a pair of losses to Anaheim in a home-and-home set, which included a 3-0 loss at Dodger Stadium on Saturday.

Quick only needed to make 23 saves to record his third shutout of the season. Anze Kopitar scored the lone goal of the game with 2:04 left in the second period. Jeff Carter and Jake Muzzin posted assists on the game-winning goal.

"Quicky (Quick) was obviously solid back there and gave us a chance to win," Kopitar said. "I guess one (goal) was enough."

Los Angeles came into the game having lost seven in a row in San Jose. L.A. is eight points behind the Sharks for second place in the Pacific Division, while the Coyotes trail the Kings by eight points for third place.

The Coyotes are just 4-8-1 in January, but the club has managed to record at least a point in two straight outings. Phoenix posted a 4-3 win Friday in Edmonton and then gained a point in Sunday's overtime loss against the Vancouver Canucks.

Phoenix trailed the Canucks 4-2 late in the second period, but Antoine Vermette tallied in the final minute of the second stanza to make it a one- goal game and captain Shane Doan scored the equalizer at 5:24 of the third.

However, Kevin Bieksa scored his second goal of the night for Vancouver at 2:15 of overtime to give the Canucks the win.

"We played well enough to get two (points) tonight, but in the NHL you can't give up five goals and expect to win," stated Coyotes head coach Dave Tippett.

Vermette notched a hat trick in the losing effort and now has 18 goals on the season. David Moss contributed two assists for Phoenix, while Mike Smith allowed all five goals on just 20 shots.

This evening's matchup marks the third of five scheduled meetings between the Coyotes and Kings this season. The teams have split two encounters so far in 2013-14, with each club picking up a home win.

L.A. has claimed three of five in the series overall, but the Coyotes have won three in a row and five of the past six tests in the desert.