ANAHEIM — The Ducks took consecutive games and the season series from the Kings with a 2-1 win in overtime at Honda Center on Saturday night, less than 24 hours after knocking off their archenemies in Downtown L.A.
Three of the four crosstown clashes went beyond 60 minutes this season, including both bouts this weekend.
The Ducks won their third straight game to further distance themselves from a putrid stretch that included just two victories in 15 opportunities. They have ceded just four goals in those three outings, after giving up five per game during a nine-game skid.
The Kings lost for the sixth time in seven games as part of their longer-standing malaise, taking just seven of their past 23 decisions. They now have both the most overtime losses and most one-goal losses in the NHL this season.
Mason McTavish scored in regulation and Mikael Granlund snagged a second point in overtime. Ville Husso stopped 17 shots. Chris Kreider missed a second straight game due to an illness against the backdrop of the longer-term absences of Leo Carlsson (thigh surgery), Frank Vatrano (broken shoulder) and Troy Terry (upper-body injury).
Adrian Kempe scored the Kings’ lone goal during a 5-on-3 power play. Anton Forsberg made 30 saves. The Kings iced their same 18 skaters from a night earlier at Crypto.com Arena, where they lost 3-2 in a shootout, meaning they again had no Anže Kopitar, Corey Perry or Trevor Moore.
The Ducks carried their territorial and analytical edges into the third period, but neither team was able to break the tie, sending the game to overtime.
A mere 25 seconds into the extra frame, Drew Doughty took a hooking penalty, setting up a 4-on-3 look for the Ducks.
The Kings’ penalty kill came through, thanks in large part to Forsberg stonewalling McTavish and Beckett Sennecke in succession.
That merely delayed the inevitable, however. Sennecke’s brilliant back check on Kevin Fiala saw him lift Fiala’s stick, steal the puck and initiate a two-on-one rush. Granlund elected to shoot, rifling in the game-winner with 58 seconds on the OT clock.
A penalty-riddled second period concluded with a 1-1 intermission deadlock and the Ducks having been whistled for six penalties resulting in power plays. The Kings received no admonishment whatsoever until the final two minutes of the frame, when the Ducks failed to convert.
Five of those Ducks infractions came in the second stanza, including two just six seconds apart to set up substantial two-man-advantage time for the Kings. Andrei Kuzmenko worked the puck to Kevin Fiala atop the left circle. He strode ahead and sent the puck to the right dot for Kempe, who glided into the pass and loaded up a shot in one motion.
It was Kempe’s 16th goal and his first in seven games. The Kings scored during the 5-on-3 situation but moved to none for their past nine at 5-on-4.
The same player who ended the shootout on Friday began the scoring on Saturday, as McTavish tallied his 12th goal, 6:11 into the affair. Ryan Strome found Olen Zellweger at the blue line, where he shook Joel Armia and slipped the puck to McTavish. A stumbling Mikey Anderson watched as McTavish flicked a shot far side past Forsberg.
Since Christmas, Anderson and Doughty’s ineffectiveness as a top pairing has been apparent. The Kings have been outscored 19-7 and 19-6, respectively, with Doughty and Anderson on the ice. Doughty’s goal in the first game after the holiday break is the only point they have produced in a combined 24 games.
Later in the period, Jeffrey Viel, who was making his Ducks debut after being acquired from Boston on Friday, fought the towering Samuel Helenius.