DETROIT — The Kings’ six-game trip is off to a strong start.
Anton Forsberg made 27 saves – 17 in the third period – and the Kings beat the Red Wings, 3-1, on Tuesday night as Detroit winger Patrick Kane moved into a tie with Dallas’ Mike Modano as the highest-scoring American-born players in NHL history.
Samuel Helenius, Andrei Kuzmenko and Corey Perry (empty net) scored for the Kings, who won their third straight game in the second game of their trip.
Kane matched Modano by recording his 1,374th point on an assist on a goal by Alex DeBrincat late in the third period. He accomplished the feat just a couple of months after turning 37, while Modano was 40 when he scored a goal to register point No. 1,374. For his career, Kane has 500 goals and 874 assists in 1,341 NHL regular-season games. Modano retired in 2011 with 561 goals and 813 assists in 1,499 games.
Detroit’s John Gibson made 19 saves and had his eight-game win streak halted, surrendering a goal midway through the second period and a power-play score early in the third.
The Kings have earned points in their last six games (3-0-3), while the Red Wings lost for just the second time in six games and third time in their last 11.
The Kings had nine shots on goal in the first period, nearly twice as many as the Red Wings, However, neither side broke through. Detroit killed off two penalties, while the Kings killed off one.
The Kings broke through midway through the second period via their fourth line. Jeff Malott fought for the puck from behind the goal line and backhanded it to Helenius, who one-timed it past Gibson from the left circle for his second goal of the season.
Detroit had a late power play in the period but couldn’t convert.
Forsberg made a quality save against Moritz Seider five minutes into the third period.
The Kings were awarded a power play a minute later when Jacob Bernard-Docker was whistled for slashing, and the visitors didn’t waste the chance. Adrian Kempe set up Kuzmenko, who ripped a shot from the right circle that beat Gibson on the stick side at 6:46 for a 2-0 lead. Kevin Fiala collected the second assist.
The goal was the 24th of the season with a man advantage for the Kings, who rank last in the NHL on the power play.
Detroit soon had a power play when Drew Doughty was sent to the box for holding, but the Kings’ aggressive penalty kill worked again. DeBrincat got behind the defense, but Forsberg smothered his shot with 4:11 remaining.
After pulling Gibson for an extra skater, the Red Wings continued to pressure the net and broke through with 2:15 remaining. Seider set up DeBrincat for his team-high 28th goal, from the left circle.
The Kings iced the game when Perry scored into an empty net with 1:13 left.
UP NEXT
The Kings play at Buffalo on Thursday at 4 p.m. PT in the third game of a six-game trip.
More to come on this story.