NHL: Wild lose second-straight in L.A.

By Forrest Lee
Sports Xchange
LOS ANGELES - Tanner Pearson’s third-period goal was the difference as the Los Angeles Kings earned a 2-1 victory over the Minnesota Wild on Sunday before an announced crowd of 18,230 at Staples Center.
The Kings (4-1-1) captured their fourth straight decision and ended a two-game winning streak at Staples by the Wild (2-2-0).
Kings goalie Jonathan Quick had another strong outing, blanking the Wild until they scored early in the third period. It was the first goal allowed in two games by Quick, who shut out the St. Louis Blues in his last outing, since Edmonton center Matt Hendricks scored in the final 20 seconds of a 6-1 rout by the Kings over the Oilers on Tuesday. Quick stopped 40 shots against the Wild.
Minnesota netminder Niklas Backstrom, in his season debut, finished with 14 saves.
Center Tyler Toffoli gave the Kings a 1-0 lead, gathering a loose puck that bounced off the skate of Wild defenseman Ryan Suter and ripping it past Backstrom for a power-play goal with 6:06 remaining in the first period. It was Toffoli’s third goal of the season.
Toffoli connected with left winger Pearson, who fielded a pass from his linemate and slapped a wrist shot for a winner and a 2-0 Kings’ advantage at 2:58 of the third period. Pearson has a club-high five goals.
The line of Pearson, Toffoli and center Jeff Carter, dubbed “That ‘70s line” because each wears a jersey number in the 70s, has produced 11 of the Kings’ 14 goals this season.
Minnesota cut the deficit to a goal when left winger Matt Cooke scored, lifting a backhander past Quick at 6:47 of the third.
The Wild outshot the Kings 24-12 through two periods. Los Angeles also was doubled up in shots on goal (43-18) in a 1-0 shootout win over the Blues on Thursday night.
NOTES: Los Angeles D Jake Muzzin and RW Marian Gaborik sat out the game with upper-body injuries. ... D Keith Ballard, C Kyle Brodziak and D Matt Dumba were scratches for Minnesota. ... Both clubs have struggled with power-play goals, with the Wild going 0-for-11 and the Kings 1-for-18 entering Sunday’s game. Minnesota, however, was one of five NHL clubs not to allow a power-play goal before its match with the Kings. ... The Wild were 6-2-1 in their previous nine games against Los Angeles, with four of those contests decided by shootouts. ... The Wild will host the Arizona Coyotes on Thursday. ... The Kings cap their six-game homestand with games against the Buffalo Sabres on Thursday and the Columbus Blue Jackets on Oct. 26.