Handzus, Quick shine

OTTAWA -- Cory Clouston didn’t exactly get off to a fast start with the Ottawa Senators on Tuesday night.

Michal Handzus scored in the third period and the Kings ruined Clouston’s first game as Ottawa’s coach with a 1-0 victory.

Jonathan Quick made 29 saves to record his third shutout of the season and improve to 4-1-0 in his last five starts. It was the first time he had faced the Senators.

“You had to expect them to come out with a bit of jump with the new coach there,� Quick said. “They had a good first period and in the second period you could tell they were really trying to pour it on, but the defense played great. The difference was a greasy goal at the end there.�

Handzus picked up the puck behind the Senators net and jammed it in from the side at 17 minutes 21 seconds. Wayne Simmonds and Brad Richardson picked up assists on Handzus’ ninth goal of the season.

“I was just trying to get the puck to the net and hope for a rebound,� Handzus said.

Clouston, 39, promoted from the AHL’s Binghamton Senators, took over after Craig Hartsburg was fired Sunday night. He is the team’s fourth coach since Ottawa lost in five games to the Ducks in the 2007 Stanley Cup finals.

Brian Elliott stopped 25 shots for the Senators, who have lost three games in a row.

The Senators are the lowest-scoring team in the NHL with 116 goals in 49 games.