By Tom Canavan AP Sports Writer
East Rutherford, NJ – After being blown in the first Buffalo a week, Kings needed only a game to look like a team that won 20 of their first 31 matches this season.
Quinton Bifield scored on a power play with 5:37 and Kings defeated New Jersey Devils 2–1 on Thursday night to rebound seven goals.
“Buffalo was a tough,” said Bifield. “I think we include ourselves, it was a bad start. We were not ready for that game. They came out hot. They are a good, young, fast team and we were not ready for it right now. But tonight we had a day to gather again about that; and returned to their mindset.
Anze Kopitar scored a short goal and David Ritich saved 27 as Kings won only the fifth time in their last 20 matches (5-9-6), but the interim coach improved 2–1 under Jim Hillar.
“You see the game first, there were many reasons for going well tonight,” Hillar said. “You never know what the results are going to happen, but we can see right from the beginning, we were skating, everyone was skating.”
Former King Tyler Toffoli scored on a power play for New Jersey, who won two consecutive consecutives. Nico Daws was outstanding in the goal, doing 27 saves, including sensational gloves on the Copter in the first period and Adrian Kemppe in the second.
Defenseman Brant Clarke came to the winner in a chippy game after taking a slap shot from the right point. Bayfield tried to tip the shot, but he certainly got a rebound in the net for his 17th goal.
Losing 7–0 in Buffalo on Tuesday, the Kings responded and beaten the Devils for the first two periods. Nevertheless, they were tied 1–1 to enter the third.
Copter gave the Kings an edge with a small -hand target at 8:07 of the second period, which was installed by Kemppe. He defeated Luke Hughes in Devils Zone and received a shot on the net that the davs stopped. Copter defeated Jack Hughes in the rebound and slipped it in the net for his 16th goal.
Toffoli, who played with Kings from 2013-2020 and won a Stanley Cup with him in 2014, put the score in the rebound of Jesapar Brat’s shot at 12:58. This was his team-high 23rd goal.
Toffoli liked the way the Devils played.
“But at the end of the day you need points and you need to climb the standing, especially where we are on,” he said. “So, I mean we can see it in a positive way and we will. But at the same time, we came to know behind our mind, we have to win these close games.”
The struggling kings promoted the return of Victor Arvidson, who had five shots on ice in about 16 minutes. He underwent surgery back in October and missed the first 50 matches.
The 30 -year -old said, “This is a long route, which is a long road and it was really good that it would return there and feel the competition and accessories and be around the team and around the bench and accessories,” said 30 -year -old.
Arvidsson also mixed it in front of the benches in the second period with Devils All-Star Forward Jack Hughes, coincidentally painting minors.
When the punishment was finished, Hughes found a semi-brakeve, but was stopped by Rtich as Arvidson stopped him from behind. The Devils All-Star was fined so much that no fine was said, he slammed his stick against the glass and then broke it on boards and threw it on ice.
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Kings play in Boston at PT at 9:30 am on Saturday.