Lias Andersson made an impactful return to the Los Angeles Kings’ lineup, scoring a goal in his first NHL game since February 16, as the Kings defeated the Vegas Golden Knights 4-2 on Wednesday night.
Andersson, who had been eager to rejoin the team after a stint in the minors, impressed coach Todd McLellan with his performance.
“I thought Lias did a great job,” McLellan said. “He went to the minors, polished up his game, got some action, and when called upon, he was ready.”
Cal Petersen was outstanding on the net, stopping 40 shots to help snap the Kings’ three-game losing streak. Petersen improved to 4-1-0 against Vegas, earning both of Los Angeles’ victories over the Golden Knights this season.
Vegas, which saw its six-game home winning streak come to an end, lost just its third home game in regulation this season.
“It’s tough to win here,” McLellan said. “This is one of the toughest arenas in the NHL, so these two points are valuable, especially as we push for playoff positioning.”
Andreas Athanasiou, Jaret Anderson-Dolan, and Alex Iafallo also scored for the Kings. William Karlsson and Shea Theodore provided the offense for Vegas, while Marc-Andre Fleury made 26 saves.
Los Angeles controlled the first period, playing disciplined hockey and staying out of the penalty box. They capitalized on their chances, with Athanasiou opening the scoring by slipping behind the Vegas defense and beating Fleury with a backhand.
The Kings extended their lead when Andersson took a rebound from Tobias Bjornfot’s shot that trickled through Fleury’s pads.
“It felt great to be back and score a goal. A good win on the road,” Andersson said. “Every game is huge for us now, and we treat them all like playoff games.”
Vegas cut the deficit in half when Jonathan Marchessault’s shot deflected off a defender’s skate, allowing Karlsson to score from the side of the net. However, the Kings quickly restored their two-goal lead when Anderson-Dolan pounced on a loose puck after a misplay by Fleury.
Iafallo added another goal shortly after, outmaneuvering Fleury and firing into an open net to make it 4-1.
Theodore’s wrist shot from the point, with Karlsson providing a screen, brought Vegas within two goals early in the third period, but they couldn’t muster further offense.
“They played with desperation, and we didn’t match that,” Vegas coach Peter DeBoer said. “I thought it was still a winnable game, but we had a poor start and gave up a couple of fluky goals.”
GOLDEN NOTES:
- Ryan Reaves was a late scratch for Vegas with a lower-body injury.
- Defenseman Alex Pietrangelo returned to the lineup after missing 12 games.
- Fleury remains one win away from tying Ed Belfour for fourth on the all-time wins list with 484.
AFTER FURTHER REVIEW:
Vegas center Chandler Stephenson was ejected for a high elbow on Bjornfot, earning a five-minute major penalty. The hit could lead to further disciplinary action from the NHL.
“It looked like the right call,” DeBoer said. “I wasn’t going to argue with it. Where it goes from here is out of my hands.”
UP NEXT:
- Los Angeles: Hosts San Jose on Friday. Vegas: Hosts Minnesota on Thursday.
