Kings hand Canucks first loss

LOS ANGELES --Tanner Pearson scored the only goal in the shootout to give the Los Angeles Kings a 4-3 win against the Vancouver Canucks at Staples Center on Saturday.
It was the first loss of the season for Vancouver (4-0-1).

Pearson, who scored late in the first period, beat goalie Jacob Markstrom with a snap shot through the five-hole for the deciding shootout goal in the top of the second round. After Canucks forward Alexandre Burrows missed the net in the bottom of the second, Kings goalie Peter Budaj made a save against Brandon Sutter to seal the win and prevent Vancouver from getting off to the best start in its history.
Budaj said he got lucky on one of the attempts with a rolling puck, but added, "I was glad I was able to see those [other] two [attempts]," he said. "It's a big win for us. We need the points."

The Canucks trailed 3-0 after Kings forward Dustin Brown scored shorthanded off a rebound of his own shot 33 seconds into the second period, but defenseman Alexander Edler tied it 3-3 with 34.4 seconds remaining on a 6-on-4 advantage with a shot from the left side with Loui Eriksson screening Budaj. Los Angeles defenseman Brayden McNabb was called for delay of game after he played the puck over the glass with 1:48 remaining.
Budaj made 22 saves in his 300th NHL game and second start for the Kings. Jeff Zatkoff was expected to start for Los Angeles but injured his groin at the morning skate.
Vancouver pulled to 3-2 on second-period goals by Markus Granlund and Henrik Sedin. Granlund scored his second of the season on a rebound at 8:40, and Sedin put a shot in off Budaj's blocker on a power play at 15:57.
Pearson made it 2-0 Kings at 18:24 of the first period on his fourth goal in three games. McNabb gave the Kings a 1-0 lead 4:35 into the game. He was open on the left side to convert Brown's pass high past Markstrom.
"We sure didn't deserve a point after the first two periods," Vancouver coach Willie Desjardins said.

Goal of the game

Granlund tapped in Jannik Hansen's centering pass from below the goal line as his stick broke to quiet the crowd and get Vancouver within two goals at 3-1. Hansen was unable to get off a shot on a partial breakaway because of a good recovery by Kings defenseman Drew Doughty, but he was able to swing it back in front for Granlund to bank it in off Budaj.

Save of the game

Budaj extended his right pad to stop a shot by Canucks left wing Sven Baertschi at 3:13 of the second period. Baertschi broke in near the right slot for the chance with Vancouver trailing 3-0.

Highlight of the game

Pearson stuffed in a loose puck that eluded Markstrom's glove with Edler closing in on him. The puck momentarily was in Markstrom's glove but trickled out and over the goal line.

Unsung moment of the game

Los Angeles center Anze Kopitar, without his stick after surrendering it to Doughty after his broke on a second-period penalty kill, helped the Kings get a clear by bodying up a Canucks player. Sedin scored to make it 3-2 later on the power play though.

Need to know

Canucks right wing Derek Dorsett left the game in the second period after injuring his shoulder on a hit from McNabb, Desjardins said. … Vancouver right wing Jake Virtanen returned to the lineup after he was scratched Thursday … Budaj became the second Slovakia-born goalie to play in 300 NHL games, after Jaroslav Halak. … Kings center Jeff Carter played in his 800th NHL game and 300th with Los Angeles. … McNabb's second goal this season equaled his goal total in 81 games last season.

They said it

"We had a three-goal lead. It's something we don't want to give up [but] finding that extra point is huge. We're just playing to our identity, really, as a team. We're not going to run and gun with teams."-- Kings forward Dustin Brown
"We would have liked to have kept it going. It's a tough league. Every game has been close for us as well. It could definitely be different than the 4-0-1 we are now. We'll take it right now." -- Canucks right wing Jannik Hansen on their first loss
"I've got to be better than that. I'm the one who put us a couple of goals down in the first [period]. It's hard enough to come here and play in L.A., but to start two goals down after the first, that's tough." -- Canucks goalie Jacob Markstrom

What's next

Canucks: At the Anaheim Ducks on Sunday (8 p.m. ET; PRIME, SN, NHL.TV)
Kings: Home against the Columbus Blue Jackets on Tuesday (10:30 p.m. ET; FS-W, FS-O, NHL.TV)