NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Matt Duchene broke a tie with 6:26 left with his second goal of the game in the Nashville Predators’ 5-3 victory over the Los Angeles Kings on Saturday night.
Mikael Granlund and Ryan Johansen each had a goal and an assist, Cole Smith had his first NHL goal and Juuse Saros made 31 saves for the Predators, winners of three of four. Roman Josi had three assists and Cody Glass and Alexandre each had two assists.
Sean Durzi scored a goal and assisted on another and Adrian Kempe and Quinton Byfield also scored for Los Angeles, which began a six-game trip leading up to the NHL All-Star break. Anze Kopitar had two assists and Pheonix Copley and Jonathan Quick combined for 23 saves.
Trailing by a goal in the third, Nashville rallied on goals by Johansen and Duchene.
The Predators came out charging Saturday night, with Granlund scoring at 19 seconds and Duchene at 39 seconds.
Copley allowed the two goals on three shots and was pulled in favor of Quick, who turned 37 Saturday. In his last two games, Copley has allowed six goals on 20 shots against and has been pulled in both.
STRIKE FIRST AND SECOND
The Predators became the second team this season to score two goals in the opening 39 seconds. The Calgary Flames also did so Dec. 20 when Tyler Toffoli and Dillon Dube scored in the first 30 seconds of that game against the San Jose Sharks. Just 15 teams in NHL history have scored twice in the first 39 seconds.
REFEREE INJURED
Referee Francois St. Laurent was injured during the second period of Saturday’s game and did not return to the game. At 3:59 of the second period, a Kempe shot hit St. Laurent in the leg and he then fell awkwardly in the corner. He was helped off of the ice to the Predators dressing room and did not return to the game. Mitch Dunning finished as the lone referee in the one referee, two linesmen system.
WHAT’S NEXT
Kings: At Chicago on Sunday night.
Predators: Host Winnipeg on Tuesday night.
___
AP NHL: www.apnews.com/hub/NHL and www.twitter.com/AP_Sports