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Handzus, Quick help Kings spoil Clouston's debut

Feb 4, 2009 - 4:21 AM OTTAWA (Ticker) -- New coach, similar problems for the Ottawa Senators.

Michal Handzus snapped a scoreless tie late in the third period and Jonathan Quick made 29 saves to record his third career shutout as the Los Angeles Kings defeated the Senators, 1-0, on Tuesday.

Brian Elliott turned aside 25 shots for Ottawa, which took the ice for the first time under interim coach Cory Clouston.

The Senators on Monday finally pulled the plug on Hartsburg, whose job reportedly had been in jeopardy for weeks. Sitting last in the Northeast Division, Ottawa fired Hartsburg just 48 games into his first season as the team's coach.

Clouston, who coached of the Senators' American Hockey League affiliate in Binghamton, will guide the club for the remainder of the season.

"Obviously that isn't the result we wanted tonight," Clouston said. "But I thought we showed a lot of energy and we had our chances to win this hockey game. Their goaltender made the big saves when they needed them, and they got a late goal for the win."

"(Clouston) is our new coach and everybody wanted to impress him." captain Daniel Alfredsson added. "You could tell everyone was working extra hard, but we couldn't capitalize on the chances we had. That game could've gone either way and it would have been nice to get him the win."

Handzus provided all the offense the Kings would need, scoring his ninth goal of the season with 2:39 left in the final session.

The 31-year-old Czech accepted a pass from Wayne Simmonds behind the net and beat Elliott between the pads on a wraparound.

"I just tried to wrap around to get a scrum," Handzus said. "I wasn't thinking it would go in for sure, but with three minutes left, I tried to make something happen. Luckily for us, it went in."

Los Angeles coach Terry Murray was pleased with his team's effort late in the game.

"At the end of the day you're always looking for two points - and we got them." he said. "I thought Ottawa played very well, especially in the second period, but Jon Quick was real good. Fortunately, we had a better third and got the only goal of the game when it mattered most."

Ranked last in the NHL with 116 goals this season, Ottawa's offensive struggles continued in this one. Quick stopped seven shots in the first period, 13 more in the next and nine in third to hand the Senators their sixth blanking of the campaign.

"(Quick) was great for us tonight," Handzus said. "He made some hard saves for us and kept us in it when Ottawa was putting pressure on us. He was the difference for sure."

Making his 10th NHL start, Elliott had plenty of experience with Clouston in Binghamton. The 23-year-old nearly helped the coach record a win in his debut, but Elliott's bid for his first career shutout was denied by Handzus.

"I tried to slide over in time but he beat me there and somehow got it past me," Elliott said. "It's disappointing to lose a game under any circumstances, but that stings a little more tonight."