Kings tie game late, top Canucks in SO

Los Angeles, CA – Jeff Carter's third-round shootout goal lifted the Los Angeles Kings to a 3-2 victory over the Vancouver Canucks on Monday in a rematch of a 2012 playoff series at Staples Center.

After the first four shooters missed, Carter switched to his backhand and lifted a shot high over a sprawling Roberto Luongo. Zack Kassian had a chance to send the shootout to a fourth round, but his backhand attempt missed the net and the Kings escaped with the victory.

Carter added a power-play tally in regulation, while Slava Voynov scored the game-tying goal with 44 seconds left in the third to send the game to an extra session.

Jonathan Quick recorded 21 saves for the Kings, who have two straight since opening the season with three consecutive setbacks.

"It's a playoff race right now and every point is important," Quick remarked. "Any time you get two points, it's a boost of confidence."

Kassian and Alexandre Burrows each scored once to stake Vancouver to an early 2-0 lead, but the Canucks were unable to hold on as they lost for the second consecutive night.

Luongo allowed two goals on 28 shots for the Canucks, who entered last year's postseason as the top seed before being bounced in the first round by the eventual champion Kings in five games.

Kassian put home a rebound from the left side of the net at the 13:08 mark of the first to make it 1-0 before Burrows buried a wrap around just over four minutes into the second to double Vancouver's advantage.

The Kings, who had gone 0-for-25 on the power play to start the season, finally broke through on the man advantage later in the second to start their comeback.

Just seven seconds into Los Angeles' third power play of the game, Carter recovered a loose puck in front of the net and ripped a quick shot that slipped past Luongo to trim the deficit in half.

The Kings continued to pour it on in the third, but couldn't break through until Quick left the net in favor of the extra attacker with just over a minute remaining.

From the short right boards, Anze Kopitar slid a pass to the right point for Voynov, who one-timed a blast that appeared to deflect off the leg of a Vancouver defenseman before trickling past Luongo to knot the game with just 44 seconds remaining.

Los Angeles outshot Vancouver, 4-1, in the extra session, but Luongo was able to turn away all four shots to send the game to a shootout.

"Roberto gave us a chance," Vancouver coach Alain Vigneault said. "We emptied the tank tonight. When you get the effort that we had tonight, you think you should win."

Game Notes

Los Angeles finished 1-for-4 on the power play, while Vancouver went 0-for-3 ... Carter has scored a goal in three straight games ... The last time the Kings trailed by two goals in a game and won was Oct. 25, 2010 at Minnesota when they won 3-2 in a shootout.