Power play propels Golden Knights past Kings

LOS ANGELES -- Paul Stastny had four points, including two power-play goals, for the Vegas Golden Knights in a 5-2 win against the Los Angeles Kings at Staples Center on Sunday.

Max Pacioretty had a power-play goal and two assists for the Golden Knights (4-2-0), who went 3-for-3 with the man advantage after starting the season 3-for-17.
"We want to be capitalizing on the power play, or at least getting some sustained pressure," Pacioretty said. "The last couple games we haven't capitalized on it, but I thought tonight we] had some good zone time, we were moving the puck around, and guys were finishing. That's what you want from your power play."
***[WATCH: [All Golden Knights vs. Kings highlights]*
Marc-Andre Fleury made 36 saves playing in his 804th NHL game, which passed Harry Lumley for 15th place among goalies in League history.
Dustin Brown and Austin Wagner scored for the Kings (2-3-0), who allowed at least five goals for the third time this season. Jonathan Quick made 31 saves in his first start since allowing an NHL career-worst eight goals to the Vancouver Canucks on Wednesday.
"He's still that good, in my opinion," Kings coach Todd McLellan said of Quick, who is 0-3-0 with a 6.44 goals-against average and .793 save percentage. "When you're the goaltender, when you're the pitcher, when you're the quarterback, all eyes are on you. It's as simple as that. He's the last line of defense for our mistakes, and we made our share of them."
Stastny gave Vegas a 3-1 lead at 14:51 of the second period, redirecting Pacioretty's pass in the slot. He extended the lead to 4-1 at 17:00 by finishing a tic-tac-toe passing sequence in the left circle.

Stastny credited the addition of rookie forward Cody Glass to the power play for the improved production. Glass was on the ice for Vegas' first two power-play goals.
"I think with having Glass here with our unit there, he's getting more and more comfortable, and he made a lot of good plays where it just kind of takes the pressure off everyone sometimes," Stastny said. "He's got a lot of poise. The other guys have poise, but when you have another guy that can bring that element, it just makes it a lot easier for all of us."
Brown cut it to 4-2 at 4:24 of the third period. Anze Kopitar had the primary assist on the play to extend his point streak to five games (two goals, six assists).
Mark Stone scored 17 seconds later on a backhand in front to make it 5-2.
Reilly Smith put the Golden Knights up 1-0 at 5:42 of the first period on a wrist shot from the left circle.
Pacioretty made it 2-0 on a shot from the right circle at 6:59, but Wagner responded with his first goal of the season to pull the Kings within 2-1 at 7:49.

Fleury preserved the lead for Vegas in the first period with a couple impressive saves with the right pad, including stretching back to stop Kopitar on a one-timer on the power play at 11:18, and stopping Jeff Carter on a 2-on-1 at 14:19.
"I was [in trouble] there (against Kopitar)," Fleury said. "It was a screen in front of me and I didn't see it fast. I just threw it out there and hoped for the best and got lucky a little bit there."

They said it

"I just go when the coach tells me to go and just try to do my best. We have a good training staff to try to stay loose and keep your legs for two days in a row." -- Golden Knights goalie Marc-Andre Fleury on starting both games of a back-to-back
"There's work that needs to be done. It was obviously a horrendous night for that unit, and it needs work. Individuals need work, the system needs work. … They took advantage of fatigue, and they picked us apart. Eventually it was in our net. We never got relief on our penalty kill ever." -- Kings coach Todd McLellan

Need to know

Vegas and Los Angeles was each playing the second game of a back-to-back. … Golden Knights defenseman Shea Theodore had two assists. … Pacioretty had his third multipoint game in the past four games. … Kings defenseman Sean Walker had an assist to extend his point streak to four games (two goals, two assists). … Vegas coach Gerard Gallant won his 250th game in the NHL (250-199-45 with four ties).

What's next

Golden Knights: Host the Nashville Predators on Tuesday (10 p.m. ET; ESPN+, ATTSN-RM, FS-TN, NHL.TV)
Kings:Host the Carolina Hurricanes on Tuesday (10:30 p.m. ET; FS-W, FS-CR, NHL.TV)