National Hockey League
BOXSCORE | RECAP
Detroit 3, Los Angeles 1
When: 10:30 PM ET, Saturday, January 11, 2014
Where: Staples Center, Los Angeles, California
Referees: Ghislain Hebert, Brad Meier
Linesmen: Shane Heyer, Steve Miller
Attendance: 18262

Red Wings 3, Kings 1: Rookie Tomas Tatar scored the tiebreaking goal with 7:54 to play in the third period and Jimmy Howard turned aside 44 shots, lifting visiting Detroit past Los Angeles.

Tatar, whose father passed away Friday in Slovakia, scored for the third consecutive contest and added an assist as Detroit won for only the fifth time in 15 games (5-7-3). Riley Sheahan scored his first NHL goal and helped set up the game-winner before Daniel Cleary added an insurance tally with 2:34 to play.

Howard made 35 saves over the final two periods to earn only his third victory since Nov. 1 (3-6-6). Defenseman Drew Doughty scored the lone goal and Jonathan Quick stopped 23 shots as the Kings lost for the seventh time in their last nine contests (2-6-1).

The Kings converted during a 5-on-3 power play as Doughty ended a 13-game goalless streak with a straight-on slap shot at 14:10 of the first period - a goal that Detroit argued against to no avail, claiming Los Angeles captain Dustin Brown was crowding Howard in the crease.

Called up from the minors on Friday, Sheahan notched his first NHL tally three minutes later, diving in front to backhand the rebound of Tatar's shot from the slot past Quick. The duo combined for the game-winner as Sheahan unleashed a wrist shot from the left faceoff circle that Quick kicked out to Tatar, who buried the rebound for his 10th goal and immediately pointed skyward.

GAME NOTEBOOK: The Red Wings failed on four power-play chances to extend their string of futility to 0-for-16 over the last four games. ... Los Angeles Cs Anze Kopitar and Mike Richards assisted on Doughty's goal, giving them each a team-high 24 - although Richards saw his goalless drought reach 21 games. ... Red Wings LW Daniel Alfredsson sat out the game due to back spasms, joining injured Fs Pavel Datsyuk, Darren Helm and Johan Franzen on the sideline. Datsyuk missed his third straight game and Helm his fourth in a row.
Top Game Performances
 
Detroit   Los Angeles
Riley Sheahan 2 Points Drew Doughty 1
Riley Sheahan 1 Goals Drew Doughty 1
Riley Sheahan 1 Assists Anze Kopitar 1
N/A Power Play Goals Drew Doughty 1
N/A Short Handed Goals N/A
Jimmy Howard .978 Save Percentage Jonathan Quick .885
Jimmy Howard 44 Saves Jonathan Quick 23
Team Stats Summary
 
Team Shots Goals Power Play Penalty Kill Penalty Mins Face Offs Won
Detroit 26 3 0-4 3-4 10 20
Los Angeles 45 1 1-4 4-4 10 45
Upcoming Games
  • Los Angeles will play their next game at home against Vancouver. The Kings have a W/L % of .556 after a win and .632 after a loss.
  • Detroit will play their next game on the road against Anaheim. The Red Wings have a W/L % of .526 after a win and .385 after a loss.