Stanley Cup Champion Kings Beat Panthers

     The Florida Panthers faced the defending Stanley Cup champion Los Angeles Kings and lost 5-2 on Tuesday night at Staples Center. The Cats entered this game having scored 17 times in their last four games.
     Former Kings player and current Panthers captain Willie Mitchell received his Stanley Cup ring several hours prior to the game. Mitchell helped Los Angeles win two Stanley Cup titles in his three seasons he played there. He signed as a free agent with Florida during the summer.
     In the second period, Los Angeles(10-5-4) got a goal from a surprising source as Matt Greene redirected a pass in the low right circle by Roberto Luongo for a 1-0 lead at 4:32. Brayden McNabb fed him a cross-ice pass from above the left circle for his first goal this year.
     The Kings added to their margin on the power play at 9:46. Jamie McBain passed the puck from the right wing to Dwight King on the icing line. He guided it to Jeff Carter and he fired a one-time slapshot from the right circle dot for his seventh goal this season.
     The windfall continued in the second against Florida(6-5-5) as the Kings scored on another power play with 5:42 left in the period. Jake Muzzin put a wrist shot from the left point into the crease area where Marian Gaborik attempted a shot. After the initial save by Luongo, Gaborik went to the backhand and found the twine in the back of the Panthers cage.
     Robyn Regehr capped things with eight seconds to go for his first goal as he ripped a shot from the top left circle for a Los Angeles four-game gap. Luongo was pulled from net after two periods and was replaced by Al Montoya.
     The Cats broke the shutout on the power play just 2:01 into the third period. After a scramble in front for the puck, Jimmy Hayes scored with a wrist shot from the top of the crease. Jonathan Huberdeau and Nick Bjugstad picked up assists on the play.
     Florida continued their momentum at 6:05 to cut the deficit down to 4-2. Vincent Trocheck put a wrist shot on net from the top left circle which was saved by Jonathan Quick and Jokinen scored on the rebound for his second goal this season. Trocheck extended his point streak to five games.
     The Kings added their third power play goal of the contest with 3:11 left in regulation as their captain Dustin Brown tried to thread a pass across the crease, however it went through Montoya and into the net.