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RECAP
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BOX SCORE
PITTSBURGH (AP) -- The Los Angeles Kings have given the
Pittsburgh Penguins new respect for the NHL's Western Conference.
Alexei Kovalev scored less than a minute after the Kings took
the lead in the third period as Pittsburgh and Los Angeles played
to a 2-2 tie Saturday night.
|  | | Jamie Storr makes one of his 29 saves against Pittsburgh's Roman Simicek. |
Despite a 6-1-3 streak over the last 10 games, the Kings entered
play ninth in the West, which would keep them out of the playoffs.
"I think they're one of the best offensive teams we've seen
this year, for sure," Pittsburgh goalie Garth Snow said. "I'm
sure they're going to make the playoffs. If they don't, something's
wrong."
The Penguins expected to be blitzed in the first period and they
were. The Kings fired 13 shots at Snow but came away with only one
goal.
"Snow played great because they could have had a lot more,"
Penguins defenseman Darius Kasaparaitis said.
Things reversed in the second period with the Penguins holding a
17-4 shots advantage.
"We had to kill off five penalties in the second period due to
a lack of discipline," Kings coach Andy Murray said. "It was a
strange game."
Kovalev's goal came 42 seconds after Jozef Stumpel put the Kings
ahead 2-1 with Los Angeles' second power-play goal of the game.
The Kings remained unbeaten in overtime (1-0-5).
Stumpel broke a 1-1 tie at 3:59 of the third period. He was in
the middle of the left circle when he one-timed Luc Robitaille's
pass for his seventh goal.
The Penguins got the tying goal on the next shift. Kovalev
wristed a 30-foot shot past Jamie Storr's stick at 4:41.
Snow, coming off a 36-save, 1-0 win at Philadelphia on Friday,
gave up the game's first goal at 9:35 of the first period. Zigmund Palffy deflected Mathieu Schneider's shot from the left point on a
power play for his 12th goal -- eighth on the power play.
Martin Straka tied it for Pittsburgh 21 seconds into the middle
period. Straka got a rebound and was able to patiently hang onto
the puck, then lift it over the sprawling Storr for his seventh
goal.
The Kings are 3-1-2 on their last six trips to Pittsburgh.
Game notes
The game was the first of a three-game Eastern trip that
will take the Kings to Boston on Sunday and New York on Tuesday.
... Storr started his 15th consecutive game. ... Kovalev has seven
goals and 13 points in his last nine games. ... The Kings killed
1:17 of a two-man disadvantage in the second period.
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ALSO SEE
NHL Scoreboard
Los Angeles Clubhouse
Pittsburgh Clubhouse
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NY Islanders 3
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AUDIO/VIDEO
 Martin Straka knocks in the rebound for a goal.
avi: 773 k
RealVideo: 56.6 | ISDN | T1
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