Anze Kopitar breaks Kings franchise record for games played

Kings captain Anze Kopitar acknowledges cheers and applause from fans and players at Crypto.com Arena.

By Joe Reedy

Associated Press

Published Oct. 21, 2023 Updated Oct. 22, 2023 12:01 AM PT

Brad Marchand scored twice, David Pastrnak added three points and became the first Boston player in 21 years with a goal in each of the first four games, and the Bruins remained unbeaten with a 4-2 victory over the Kings on Saturday night.

It is the third time in Marchand’s 15-year career he has recorded a point in each of the Bruins’ first four games (three goals, three assists). He scored Boston’s final two goals and had an assist in the first period.

Pastrnak, who was second in the league with 61 goals last season, had a goal and two assists. He is the first Bruins player since Dimitri Kvartalnov in 1992-93 to open the season with a goal in four straight games.

Pastrnak is off to another fast start with five goals and eight points.

Morgan Geekie scored the go-ahead goal in the second period for the Bruins, who are off to their first 4-0 start since 1990-91.

“I think we started to get more physical. We got emotion into our game. … And then I think we just wore out the back of the net,” Bruins coach Jim Montgomery said. “We held onto pucks. I think we really saw the type of team we believe we can be.”

The Kings had their two-game winning streak snapped on a night when Anze Kopitar skated in his 1,297th career game, passing Dustin Brown for most games played in franchise history.

Kings rookie Alex Laferriere scored his first NHL goal to tie it at one in the second period before Geekie and Marchand scored in a 48-second span later in the period to put the Bruins up for good.

Boston’s Derek Forbert had a pair of assists and Jeremy Swayman stopped 32 shots.

Carl Grundstrum had a power-play goal late in the third period for Los Angeles, and Cam Talbot made 21 saves.

Pastrnak opened the scoring at 13:10 of the first period. with a wrist shot from the top of the left faceoff circle that went off the crossbar and into the net.

Laferriere evened it at 1 at 6:28 of the second period on a breakaway. The 21-year old forward, who was playing in his fifth NHL game, was able to get a wrist shot as he was going down to one knee after being pressured from behind by Boston defenseman Brandon Carlo.

“It was just an unbelievable play by my linemates. Kevin (Fiala) made a great pass to PL (Pierre-Luc Dubois) and then PL found me kind of right up the middle,” Laferriere said. “I was feeling the pressure, so good to get the first one.”

Kings center Anze Kopitar takes the ice before his record-setting game against the Bruins.

Geekie put in his first as a member of the Bruins at 14:45 of the second with a rebound after Derek Forbert’s shot from near the blue line went off Milan Lucic’s skate.

“Just right place, right time kind of thing,” Geekie said. “Just try to give it a little extra effort to get through there and just get inside and make a play on the puck.”

Marchand then made it a two-goal lead at 15:33 when his wrist shot from the top of the slot went between Talbot’s legs for his second of the season. Marchand extended the lead to 4-1 at 17:48 of the third after getting a great pass from Pastrnak in front of the net.

Tough home start for Kings

The Kings were one of the top teams in the league at home last season, but are 0-2-1 in their first three to open this campaign.

The Kings though did not get an easy schedule to start the year on home ice with two division champions (Colorado and Carolina) and President’s Trophy winner Boston as the opposition.

“We talked about needing measuring tools and measuring sticks. Those are three teams that you have to beat especially on home ice at some point,” Kings coach Todd McLellan said. “When I look at how we lost those games, we gave up two shorties, we lacked details on face offs, our net play, we gave up 13 goals against those three teams in our building.

“I think we have a pretty good path right now as a team of where we need to go and what we need to work on. We can get there. I really believe we can. But we now have some direction. And that’s not a bad thing to have.”

Up next for Kings: vs. the Arizona Coyotes on Tuesday at Crypto.com Arena.