LOS ANGELES – Pavol Demitra and Jeremy Roenick scored in a shootout, helping the Los Angeles Kings rally for a 3-2 victory over the Nashville Predators.
Jason LaBarbera stopped Nashville’s Simon Gamache and Marek Zidlicky in the Kings’ first shootout under the NHL’s new rules.
The outcome was briefly in suspense when referees reviewed Roenick’s goal, ruling that he hadn’t put in his own rebound.
The Kings extended their unbeaten streak against the Predators to seven games dating to December 2002. They’ve outscored Nashville 19-5 in that stretch.
Tied 2-2, the teams played 4-on-4 in a five-minute overtime. With 31 seconds left, Nashville’s David Legwand was awarded a penalty shot after being dragged down by Joe Corvo on a breakaway. LaBarbera turned away Legwand’s shot with his stick.
LaBarbera stopped 20 shots for his eighth victory of the season.
Nashville’s Tomas Vokoun took a shutout into the third period, but the Kings spoiled it with two goals. He made 35 saves.
Nashville’s Paul Kariya, a former Anaheim star, was a non-factor in the rare day game.
Tom Kostopoulos tied it at 2 with 4:28 left in the third. Nathan Dempsey’s shot ricocheted off the boards and Kostopoulos scored on the rebound. The Kings outshot the Predators 21-2 in the period.
The Kings’ first goal came when Pavol Demitra dug the puck out of the boards and flipped it back to a rushing Craig Conroy, who scored his fifth of the season.
Jeremy Stevenson scored Nashville’s first goal at Staples Center since Dec. 5, 2002, when the puck slipped in between the post and LaBarbera’s skate 11/2 minutes into the game. The Predators had been shut out in their two previous visits to Los Angeles.
Martin Erat extended Nashville’s lead to 2-0 at 8:30 of the first with his fourth goal in his last six games.
The Kings failed to score when they twice had two-man advantages in the first and second periods.
Notes: Kings C Sean Avery was ejected late in the first for checking Gamache from behind. … The Predators have not scored a power-play goal in their last three games. … Los Angeles is 7-3-0 at home this season. … The Predators went 0-3 on their West Coast swing.
AP-ES-11-05-05 1857EST
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