Hurricanes come up short against Kings

Published Nov. 21, 2014 1:16 a.m. ET

foxsports

LOS ANGELES -- Tanner Pearson ended his 11-game goal drought with the tiebreaking score, and Jonathan Quick made 25 saves in the Los Angeles Kings' NHL-best 10th home victory of the season, 3-2 over the Carolina Hurricanes on Thursday night.

Jarret Stoll and Trevor Lewis also scored for the defending Stanley Cup champions, who have won three straight. The Kings largely controlled play with 39 shots, and they hung on through a scoreless third period for their sixth win in eight meetings with Carolina.

Jeff Skinner and Eric Staal scored for the Hurricanes, who have lost four of five.

Cam Ward stopped 36 shots, but Carolina failed to build on the momentum of its victory in Dallas on Tuesday to open a five-game road trip.

Quick won the matchup of Conn Smythe Trophy-winning goalies, capping his 10th victory of the season with a stellar glove save on Elias Lindholm's shot from the slot with about 90 seconds to play while the Hurricanes had an extra attacker.

The Kings improved to 10-2-1 at Staples Center, where they have lost in regulation just once since they hung their championship banner on opening night.

Stoll opened the scoring with a one-timer from captain Dustin Brown, the latest goal from Los Angeles' revitalized power play.

The Kings have six man-advantage goals in three games since coach Darryl Sutter began using full forward lines instead of power-play units. Los Angeles' power play began the season in a 6-for-54 slump over the first 17 games before Sutter made the switch.

Skinner evened it with his fifth goal of the season, beating Quick with a nasty shot on a 2-on-1 break. Lewis then forced the puck past Ward early in the second period.

Just 38 seconds after Staal evened it again with a power-play goal, Pearson batted a puck out of midair for his first goal since Oct. 26. Pearson was demoted from That 70s Line -- his jersey number-inspired line with Jeff Carter and Tyler Toffoli -- due to Sutter's dissatisfaction with his recent play.