Doughty scores in 3rd to lift Kings over Canucks 4-3

Associated Press

VANCOUVER, British Columbia (AP) – Left red-faced on a highlight-reel sequence he says has only happened one other time in his career, Drew Doughty didn't need long to make amends.

Doughty scored early in the third period to lift the Los Angeles Kings over the Vancouver Canucks 4-3 on Saturday night.

Doughty was beaten badly by Nikolay Goldobin late in the second period on a slick toe drag that tied the game at 2. Doughty made up for it in the third, finding the puck after his initial shot was blocked by defenseman Alexander Edler, then ripping his seventh of the season at 6:49.

"I don't get dangled very often ... only the second time I can remember in my NHL career where I got dangled for a goal," Doughty said. "I was pretty embarrassed and pretty pissed off at myself.

"I was going to do everything in my power to try to help us win that game."

Doughty swung his arm in celebration along the boards with teammates as the Canucks fumed at the officials, apparently angry that the Kings had too many men on the ice - a grievance that appeared to be backed by replays.

"Definitely didn't get any satisfaction out of it," Vancouver coach Travis Green said. "I didn't ask (the referees), I wasn't going to bother."

Kyle Clifford scored the tying goal 2:22 into the third to set up Doughty's winner, and Tyler Toffoli and Marian Gaborik also scored for Los Angeles. Jonathan Quick made 22 saves.

Troy Stecher, Goldobin and Nic Dowd scored for Vancouver, which got 32 saves from Jacob Markstrom. Ben Hutton had two assists.

The Kings improved to 3-3-2 since an eight-game winning streak, while the Canucks dropped to 2-8-1 over their past 11.

Sam Gagner, who had two goals and an assist in Vancouver's 5-2 victory over Chicago on Thursday, rang a shot off the crossbar midway through the period that bounced down in the crease and stayed out.

Markstrom kept the Canucks alive with a big stop on Toffoli, but Vancouver couldn't find a way past Quick.

The home side grabbed a 3-2 lead 41 seconds into the third when Dowd, who was acquired from Los Angeles on Dec. 7, finished on a 2-on-1 rush by beating Quick with his first.

The Kings replied just 1:41 later when Trevor Lewis circled back off the rush before laying the puck in front to Clifford, who eventually banged home his first.

Stecher put Vancouver ahead 4:31 into the first, but Toffoli and Gaborik scored a minute apart later in the period to make it 2-1 Kings. Gaborik's goal came on the power play.

Goldobin made his move around Doughty to tie it late in the second.

"Great players have a short memory," Kings coach John Stevens said of Doughty. "Not very often that happens. I wouldn't expect to see it again for a while."

NOTES: Canucks rookie Brock Boeser, who leads all NHL rookies as well as his team in goals (21) and points (38), entered having scored in four straight games. He failed to get on the scoresheet against Los Angeles.

UP NEXT

Kings: Visit Edmonton on Tuesday night.

Canucks: Host Anaheim on Tuesday night before starting a seven-game road trip.