Kings pull ahead of Caps in third, post 4th straight win

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Field Level Media
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Mar 6, 2023; Los Angeles, California, USA;  Washington Capitals right wing Nicolas Aube-Kubel (96) and Los Angeles Kings center Quinton Byfield (55) fights for the puck during the first period at Crypto.com Arena.
Mar 6, 2023; Los Angeles, California, USA; Washington Capitals right wing Nicolas Aube-Kubel (96) and Los Angeles Kings center Quinton Byfield (55) fights for the puck during the first period at Crypto.com Arena.
Image: Kiyoshi Mio-USA TODAY Sports

Adrian Kempe had a goal and an assist for the Los Angeles Kings in a 4-2 win against the Washington Capitals on Monday night.

Vladislav Gavrikov, Phillip Danault and Mikey Anderson also scored, Viktor Arvidsson had two assists and Pheonix Copley made 20 saves for the Kings, who have won four in a row.

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Rasmus Sandin had a goal and an assist, Alex Ovechkin also scored, and Darcy Kuemper made 37 saves for the Capitals, who finished 2-2-0 on the four-game trip.

After a scoreless first half of the game, the Capitals took a 1-0 lead at 11:39 of the second.

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Sandin received a pass in the slot and whiffed on his first shot attempt, but then dove and pushed the puck between the pads of Copley.

Sandin was playing in his second game since he was acquired from the Toronto Maple Leafs on Tuesday in exchange for defenseman Erik Gustafsson and a first-round pick in the 2023 NHL Draft.

Sandin had three assists in his Washington debut on Saturday, an 8-3 win at the San Jose Sharks.

The Kings tied the score 1:39 later.

Kevin Fiala received Arvidsson's pass from below the goal line as he cut to the slot. Fiala's shot was saved, but Gavrikov put in the rebound for his first goal since he came over from the Columbus Blue Jackets with goalie Joonas Korpisalo on Tuesday in exchange for goalie Jonathan Quick.

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The Kings moved ahead 2-1 with 33 seconds left in the second period when Danault tipped in a slap shot from Arvidsson.

Ovechkin scored with a one-timer from the left circle during a 5-on-3 power play to tie it 2-2 at 2:31 of the third.

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It was the 36th goal of the season for Ovechkin and No. 816 in his NHL career, 79 short of passing Wayne Gretzky for the most in NHL history.

Anderson scored off a centering pass from Quinton Byfield to move Los Angeles back in front 3-2 at 7:52.

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Kempe scored his 30th goal of the season into an empty net with two seconds left to make it 4-2.

Los Angeles outshot Washington 19-3 in a scoreless opening period.

--Field Level Media