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The Kings’ Olli Maatta controls the puck while under pressure from the Blues’ Ryan O’Reilly, right, and David Perron during the first period of Wednesday’s gamer in St. Louis. (AP Photo/Scott Kane)
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FILE – St. Louis Blues’ Ivan Barbashev (49) handles the puck against the Los Angeles Kings during the first period of an NHL hockey game in Los Angeles, in this Sunday, Jan. 24, 2021, file photo. The banged-up St. Louis Blues got more bad injury news Tuesday, Feb. 23, 2021, with word that defenseman Carl Gunnarsson won’t play again this season and forward Ivan Barbashev is out at least six weeks.(AP Photo/Joe Puetz, File)
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The Kings’ Gabe Vilardi works with the puck next to the Blues’ Mike Hoffman during the first period of Wednesday’s game in St. Louis. (AP Photo/Scott Kane)
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St. Louis Blues’ Torey Krug (47) controls the puck in front of Los Angeles Kings’ Jeff Carter (77) during the first period of an NHL hockey game Wednesday Feb. 24, 2021, in St. Louis. (AP Photo/Scott Kane)
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St. Louis Blues’ Austin Poganski (53) and the Kings’ Gabe Vilardi (13) reach for the puck during the first period of an NHL hockey game Wednesday Feb. 24, 2021, in St. Louis. (AP Photo/Scott Kane)
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St. Louis Blues goaltender Jordan Binnington (50) stops a shot during the first period of the team’s NHL hockey game against the Los Angeles Kings on Wednesday Feb. 24, 2021, in St. Louis. (AP Photo/Scott Kane)
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St. Louis Blues’ Vince Dunn (29) passes the puck in front of teammate Robert Bortuzzo and Los Angeles Kings’ Andreas Athanasiou (22) during the first period of an NHL hockey game Wednesday Feb. 24, 2021, in St. Louis. (AP Photo/Scott Kane)
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The Kings’ Jeff Carter (77) handles the puck next to St. Louis Blues’ Brayden Schenn (10) during the first period of an NHL hockey game Wednesday Feb. 24, 2021, in St. Louis. (AP Photo/Scott Kane)
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Kings goaltender Cal Petersen protects the goal as St. Louis Blues’ Mackenzie MacEachern (28) looks to pass the puck during the second period of an NHL hockey game Wednesday, Feb. 24, 2021, in St. Louis. (AP Photo/Scott Kane)
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St. Louis Blues’ Jordan Kyrou (25) handles the puck while the Kings’ Tobias Bjornfot (33) defends during the second period of an NHL hockey game Wednesday, Feb. 24, 2021, in St. Louis. (AP Photo/Scott Kane)
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St. Louis Blues’ Brayden Schenn (10) handles the puck while under pressure from the Kings’ Tobias Bjornfot (33) during the second period of an NHL hockey game Wednesday, Feb. 24, 2021, in St. Louis. (AP Photo/Scott Kane)
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St. Louis Blues’ Jordan Kyrou (25) handles the puck while the Kings’ Tobias Bjornfot (33) defends during the second period of an NHL hockey game Wednesday, Feb. 24, 2021, in St. Louis. (AP Photo/Scott Kane)
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Kings goaltender Cal Petersen blocks a shot from St. Louis Blues’ Oskar Sundqvist (70) during the second period of an NHL hockey game Wednesday, Feb. 24, 2021, in St. Louis. (AP Photo/Scott Kane)
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St. Louis Blues’ Brayden Schenn (10) handles the puck while under pressure from the Kings’ Matt Roy (3) during the second period of an NHL hockey game Wednesday, Feb. 24, 2021, in St. Louis. (AP Photo/Scott Kane)
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The Blues’ Oskar Sundqvist (70) looks for a shot on Kings goaltender Cal Petersen during the second period of an NHL hockey game Wednesday, Feb. 24, 2021, in St. Louis. (AP Photo/Scott Kane)
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The Kings’ Blake Lizotte (46) and St. Louis Blues’ Zach Sanford (12) vie for the puck during the second period of an NHL hockey game Wednesday, Feb. 24, 2021, in St. Louis. (AP Photo/Scott Kane)
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The Kings’ Blake Lizotte (46) controls the puck while under pressure from St. Louis Blues’ Marco Scandella (6) while goaltender Jordan Binnington (50) watches during the third period of an NHL hockey game Wednesday, Feb. 24, 2021, in St. Louis. (AP Photo/Scott Kane)
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The Blues’ Marco Scandella (6) is assisted by Sammy Blais (9) and linesman Ryan Gibbons (58) after being injured during the third period of the team’s NHL hockey game against the Los Angeles Kings on Wednesday, Feb. 24, 2021, in St. Louis. (AP Photo/Scott Kane)
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The Blues’ Justin Faulk (72) pressures the Kings’ Michael Amadio (10) during the third period of an NHL hockey game Wednesday, Feb. 24, 2021, in St. Louis. (AP Photo/Scott Kane)
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Blues goaltender Jordan Binnington blocks a shot during the third period of the team’s NHL hockey game against the Los Angeles Kings on Wednesday, Feb. 24, 2021, in St. Louis. (AP Photo/Scott Kane)
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Blues goaltender Jordan Binnington (50) blocks the puck on a shot by Los Angeles Kings’ Andreas Athanasiou (22) as Blues’ Vince Dunn (29) defends during the third period of an NHL hockey game Wednesday, Feb. 24, 2021, in St. Louis. (AP Photo/Scott Kane)
The Kings are the hottest team in the NHL.
Yes, the Los Angeles Kings.
Their six-game winning streak is the league’s longest, after they beat the St. Louis Blues, 2-1, in front of about 2,500 fans on Wednesday night at Enterprise Center.
Coach Todd McLellan has the Kings on the verge of matching their longest unbeaten stretch of the past two seasons and two victories shy of their eight-game surge of 2017-18.
He said the team still had room to grow, and goalie Cal Petersen said he and his teammates are taking the same measured approach to games.
“Guys are playing how we expect them to play and doing their jobs,” Petersen said. “We’re not getting too far ahead of ourselves.”
Wingers Alex Iafallo and Andreas Athanasiou scored second-period goals for the Kings, and Petersen made 35 saves to improve to 3-0-1 in his last four starts. He and Jonathan Quick have split the six victories during the surge evenly.
“When one goalie is playing well, it helps the other goalie play even better,” Petersen said. “I think that’s holding true.”
Forward Oskar Sundqvist scored for the Blues and goalie Jordan Binnington made 19 saves for the Blues, who fell to 1-5-1 in their last seven home games.
With 1:46 left, Sundqvist broke up the shutout, which would have given the Kings the longest scoreless streak in the NHL and two straight shutouts. The Blues drew no closer with Binnington again pulled for the extra attacker.
There was a bizarre moment, or string of moments, in the third period during which the Blues sustained possession for well over three minutes during a delayed penalty. Both teams made at least one line change before the Kings were able to finally touch the puck.
The Kings showed their mettle during the delayed penalty, Petersen said.
“It’s obviously unique,” said Petersen, who lauded his penalty killers for staying in their structure. “We kind of held on for dear life. It didn’t feel really too chaotic despite the long time for it.”
St. Louis entered the series against the Kings with six players out of their lineup. In the first game, they also lost defenseman Carl Gunnarsson for the season to a knee injury. Early in the third period, a cut to the face of defenseman Marco Scandella, caused by a puck off the boards, forced him out of action.
The Kings doubled their advantage with 3:52 left in the second period. Austin Wagner curled the puck back and left a drop pass for a driving Athanasiou, who let fly with his fourth goal of the season.
Defenseman Kurtis MacDermid had the secondary assist. He drew into the lineup for Mikey Anderson, who was a late scratch due to a lower-body injury he sustained in his previous game. McLellan said the injury was not severe.
Olli Maatta returned to the top pairing in Anderson’s stead.
“They were a real solid pairing for 30 minutes tonight and Olli was a big part of that,” McLellan said.
Once again, the Kings scored first, just past the midpoint of the middle frame. They have not faced a deficit in any of their last six games.
Dustin Brown received the puck and aimed far side. He banged the puck off Binnington’s right pad, and Iafallo crashed the net to pop in the rebound with 10:24 left. It was his fourth goal in his last six games and his eighth point in as many contests.
The first period saw the Blues out-shoot the Kings 11-5, but Petersen was up to the challenge. He stopped defenseman Vince Dunn and winger Zach Sanford on solid chances following Kings giveaways.
Petersen also denied forward Jordan Kyrou from point-blank range off a give-and-go play. In the second period, he stoned Kyrou again, swallowing up his one-timer from the left face-off circle.
“Our goaltender made some big saves for us,” McLellan said. “I don’t think we had a real good game from the get-go tonight, to tell you the truth. We just weren’t good with the puck. I didn’t think we were near as sharp with the puck as we were two nights ago. Some of that has to do with how St. Louis played.”
The Kings next head to Minnesota. The Wild are (along with Edmonton) the league’s next hottest team with four consecutive victories.
Iafallo with his 6th of the season. Kings up 1-0 halfway through the 2nd. pic.twitter.com/3qyKCOVpjI
— LA Kings (@LAKings) February 25, 2021
That little drop pass, though.
Just lovely.
: https://t.co/vcXw5KTFbK @NHLonNBCSports #WNH pic.twitter.com/3JroDStbGM
— NHL (@NHL) February 25, 2021
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