Jonathan Quick returns, leads Kings to pivotal win over Ducks

Jonathan Quick got the job done.

The Los Angeles Kings and their fans had more than one victory to celebrate on Saturday.

Not only did they record a big win over the Anaheim Ducks, but the team saw the official return of its number one goaltender, Jonathan Quick.

Having missed 59 games this season from a groin injury, the 31-year-old Quick was finally activated early Saturday and given the go for the start against the Ducks.

Quick’s return couldn’t come at a better time with the Kings’ playoff hopes hanging by a thread.

Entering Saturday, they were five points out of a wild-card spot and six behind the divisional Calgary Flames.

The first two periods of Saturday’s game was a determined, yet frustrating showing for the Kings, being shutout by Ducks backstop Jonathan Bernier.

They found themselves behind after Ducks forward Andrew Cogliano scored on a nearly perfect pass for a tip-in late in the first period. 

But the Kings’ efforts were finally rewarded in the third period, with a four-goal rally lead by Jeff Carter and Tyler Toffoli.

Toffoli would snap Gibson’s shutout bid with a scrappy goal nearly 4 minutes into the period, then score again off an elite pass across center ice by Carter.

The Kings needed to wait only 17 seconds to light the lamp again with a redirection by Dustin Brown from Kevin Gravel’s shot from the blue line.

Jeff Carter himself would get on the scoreboard with an empty-net goal, his 30th, to seal the team’s much-needed victory over its heated rivals.

Carter, who also got into a brawl with Ryan Kesler, ended the game with a Gordie Howe hat trick.

In all, Jonathan Quick stopped 32 of the 33 shots he faced, showing little signs of rust from his long absence.

The Kings will hope to carry their renewed momentum and Quick’s solid play to back-to-back road matches against the Minnesota Wild and Calgary Flames next week.