By NICOLE KRAFT The Associated Press
COLUMBUS, Ohio — Something about being away from home continues to bring the best out of the Kings, and now they’re making NHL history.
Drew Doughty scored 33 seconds into overtime and the Kings rallied from a three-goal deficit in the third period, beating the Columbus Blue Jackets, 4-3, on Tuesday night for their NHL record-tying 10th consecutive road win.
“That’s just a great comeback. That felt amazing,” Doughty said. “We didn’t have our good stuff for two periods and then we had a great start to the third and just rolled with it.
“I don’t think any of us are too worried about a record. We’re just coming in here trying to win games. We love playing on the road. We have a very strong team. We have full belief in every player on our team and we’re having a lot of fun right now.”
Phoenix Copley stopped 26 for the Kings, who have won seven of their last eight games and matched the road win record of the 2006-07 Buffalo Sabres.
“Our team feels good about itself,” Kings coach Todd McLellan said. “We have confidence, but with confidence comes responsibility and we didn’t have a lot of it early in the game. We played two pretty poor periods to start with and if we wanted to have any chance in coming back we had to change our mental approach to the game and our physical approach but more mental.
“We did a lot of uncharacteristic things in the first two periods. I thought we were not necessarily outworked but certainly outmanaged. In the third, we adjusted a few things and most of that was between the ears. Fortunately, we came back.”
Phillip Danault scored twice, Arthur Kaliyev added a goal and Vladislav Gavrikov contributed a pair of assists in his first game back in Columbus after being traded to the Kings in March.
“We definitely woke up in the third period, that one was better, and just took charge,” Danault said.
Kirill Marchenko, Johnny Gaudreau and Mathieu Olivier scored, and Elvis Merzlikins stopped 35 for Columbus, which has lost eight games this season after holding a lead in the final 20 minutes.
“We played solid for two periods, really sticking to the plan and winning battles, and then in the third we started to not be tight, and not close, and not get the puck out,” Blue Jackets coach Pascale Vincent said. “We’re learning the hard way what it takes to win. Up 3-0 in this league and you’re home – you’ve got to close it, and we didn’t.”
The first two periods were all Columbus, as the Blue Jackets built a three-goal lead heading into the final 20 minutes, helped by a first period, power-play goal from Marchenko, and second-period scores from Gaudreau and Olivier.
The Kings charged back with three goals in the first 6:38 of the third period, including a pair from Danault and one from Kaliyev, before Doughty’s overtime winner.
UP NEXT
The Kings visit the Montreal Canadiens on Thursday at 4 p.m. PT.
DREWWWWWW BLASTS HOME THE OT WINNER
10 STRAIGHT ROAD WINS FOR THE KINGS@LAKings I #GoKingsGo pic.twitter.com/DMEfCXh4qI
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Drew talks about the OT winner with @CarrlynBathe
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Phil gives his thoughts on the comeback win
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Press conference with coach McLellan
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DANAULT GETS US ON THE BOARD EARLY IN THE THIRD
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THAT’S TWO FOR PHIL AND IT’S 3-2
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THIS
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