Kings edge Wild as Jonathan Quick outduels Marc-Andre Fleury
Kings center Gabe Vilardi, center, celebrates with center Adrian Kempe, left, and center Anze Kopitar after scoring during the third period of their game against the Minnesota Wild on Tuesday night at Crypto.com Arena. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)
The Kings’ Brendan Lemieux skates with the puck in front of the Minnesota Wild’s Matt Boldy during the first period on Tuesday night at Crypto.com Arena. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)
Minnesota Wild defenseman Jacob Middleton (5), Kings center Phillip Danault, left, and center Trevor Moore vie for the puck during the first period on Tuesday night at Crypto.com Arena. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)
Minnesota Wild defenseman Jon Merrill, center, passes the puck as Kings left wing Brendan Lemieux, left, and center Anze Kopitar defend during the first period on Tuesday night at Crypto.com Arena. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)
Kings left wing Kevin Fiala, left, and Minnesota Wild center Marco Rossi reach for the puck during the first period on Tuesday night at Crypto.com Arena. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)
Kings left wing Brendan Lemieux, right, controls the puck against Minnesota Wild left wing Matt Boldy during the first period on Tuesday night at Crypto.com Arena. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)
The Kings’ Brendan Lemieux, left, and the Minnesota Wild’s Mats Zuccarello skate after the play during the first period on Tuesday night at Crypto.com Arena. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)
Minnesota Wild defenseman Jonas Brodin shoots the puck during the first period of their game against the Kings on Tuesday night at Crypto.com Arena. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)
The Minnesota Wild’s Mason Shaw stick handles around the Kings’ Alexander Edler during the first period on Tuesday night at Crypto.com Arena. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)
The Minnesota Wild’s Jordan Greenway, left, and Kings defenseman Drew Doughty skate after the puck during the first period on Tuesday night at Crypto.com Arena. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)
Kings defenseman Sean Durzi controls the puck during the second period of their game against the Minnesota Wild on Tuesday night at Crypto.com Arena. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)
Minnesota Wild defenseman Jon Merrill, right, deflects a pass by Kings center Gabe Vilardi during the second period on Tuesday night at Crypto.com Arena. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)
Minnesota Wild goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury stops a shot during the second period of their game against the Kings on Tuesday night at Crypto.com Arena. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)
Kings defenseman Sean Durzi, left, and Minnesota Wild left wing Kirill Kaprizov reach for the puck during the second period on Tuesday night at Crypto.com Arena. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)
The Kings’ Viktor Arvidsson, center, skates for a pass between the Minnesota Wild’s Matt Dumba, left, and goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury during the second period on Tuesday night at Crypto.com Arena. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)
Minnesota Wild goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury, right, deflects a shot by Kings left wing Viktor Arvidsson (33) during the second period on Tuesday night at Crypto.com Arena. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)
The Kings’ Anze Kopitar, right, makes a pass in front of the Minnesota Wild’s Calen Addison during the second period on Tuesday night at Crypto.com Arena. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)
The Kings’ Anze Kopitar, right, has his shot stopped by Minnesota Wild goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury as Joel Eriksson Ek, left, looks on during the second period on Tuesday night at Crypto.com Arena. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)
The Kings’ Anze Kopitar, left, stick handles around the Minnesota Wild’s Matt Dumba during the second period on Tuesday night at Crypto.com Arena. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)
Minnesota Wild goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury makes a glove save in front of Kings forward Gabe Vilardi during the second period on Tuesday night at Crypto.com Arena. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)
The Kings’ Phillip Danault, right, makes a pass through the Minnesota Wild’s Connor Dewar during the second period on Tuesday night at Crypto.com Arena. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)
Minnesota Wild goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury, right, makes a save in front of Kings forward Gabe Vilardi, top right, and teammate Jared Spurgeon during the second period on Tuesday night at Crypto.com Arena. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)
Minnesota Wild goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury (29) reaches for a flying puck during the third period of their game against the Kings on Tuesday night at Crypto.com Arena. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)
The Minnesota Wild’s Connor Dewar carries the puck in front of the Kings’ Arthur Kaliyev (34) as Jon Merrill, right, looks on during the third period on Tuesday night at Crypto.com Arena. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)
Kings goaltender Jonathan Quick makes a save on a shot by the Minnesota Wild’s Matt Boldy, right, as the Kings’ Sean Durzi protects against a rebound during the third period on Tuesday night at Crypto.com Arena. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)
Kings center Adrian Kempe, right, controls the puck against Minnesota Wild defenseman Jacob Middleton during the third period on Tuesday night at Crypto.com Arena. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)
Kings right wing Arthur Kaliyev, right, defends against Minnesota Wild defenseman Calen Addison during the third period on Tuesday night at Crypto.com Arena. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)
Kings goaltender Jonathan Quick makes a save on a shot from the Minnesota Wild’s Calen Addison (2) as Marco Rossi (23) looks for a rebound during the third period on Tuesday night at Crypto.com Arena. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)
Minnesota Wild goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury shows his frustration as Kings center Gabe Vilardi (13) celebrates after scoring during the third period on Tuesday night at Crypto.com Arena. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)
Kings players celebrate after center Gabe Vilardi (13) scored during the third period of their game against the Minnesota Wild on Tuesday night at Crypto.com Arena. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)
Kings forward Gabe Vilardi celebrates his goal with the bench during the third period of their game against the Minnesota Wild on Tuesday night at Crypto.com Arena. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)
Kings center Gabe Vilardi celebrates with teammates after scoring during the third period of their game against the Minnesota Wild on Tuesday night at Crypto.com Arena. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)
Minnesota Wild defenseman Calen Addison controls the puck during the third period of their game against the Kings on Tuesday night at Crypto.com Arena. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)
Kings goaltender Jonathan Quick, right, makes a last-second save during the third period of their game against the Minnesota Wild on Tuesday night at Crypto.com Arena. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)
Kings defenseman Matt Roy (3), defenseman Sean Durzi (50) and goaltender Jonathan Quick (32) celebrate after their 1-0 victory over the Minnesota Wild on Tuesday night at Crypto.com Arena. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)
Kings defenseman Drew Doughty, left, and goaltender Jonathan Quick celebrate after their 1-0 victory over the Minnesota Wild on Tuesday night at Crypto.com Arena. Quick made 22 saves for his 57th career shutout. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)
Chargers wide receiver Joshua Palmer waves to fans as he takes the ice for a ceremonial faceoff before a game between the Kings and the Minnesota Wild on Tuesday night at Crypto.com Arena. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)
LOS ANGELES — If the Kings were craving a low-scoring affair, they were satiated Tuesday night when they edged the Minnesota Wild, 1-0, at Crypto.com Arena, where two goalies with a combined age of 73 ruled the evening.
Jonathan Quick, 36, beat back all 22 shots he faced for his 57th career shutout, which ranks second among active goalies to the 71 of his opposite number on Tuesday, Marc-Andre Fleury.
Winger Gabe Vilardi continued his offensive onslaught with the game’s lone goal. It was Vilardi’s second straight outing with a game-winner and he has scored the deciding goal in three of the Kings’ past four victories. Vilardi has as many goals in 15 games this year as he did in 54 games two seasons ago.
Fleury, 37, turned in a valiant effort in defeat, making 29 saves. His skaters also blocked 22 shots, nearly twice as many as the Kings stepped in front of Tuesday.
The two veteran goaltenders kept the game scoreless through nearly 54 minutes, turning away point-blank opportunities and long shots through traffic alike.
“It was awesome to see some huge saves on both sides and that Quickie got the best out of it in this game. He was solid for us and the shutout was well-deserved for him,” center Phillip Danault said.
“(Fleury) is a great goalie. He’s still kicking, he works hard and he’s never beat,” Danault added.
It was none other than Vilardi breaking the deadlock with 6:03 left in the game. Forecheck pressure from the Kings caused a turnover, after which the puck settled on center Anze Kopitar’s stick. His decisive pass found Vilardi between the faceoff circles for a one-timer that became his team-leading 10th goal of the season.
“Gabe has been tremendous for us this year in every aspect,” Danault said.
With 8:30 left, winger Kevin Fiala turned a broken play into a sterling opportunity with a cross-ice touch pass to winger Adrian Kempe, who tested Fleury with a pair of dangerous bids. Fiala would generate a chance of his own off a two-on-one rush later in the frame, only to be denied by Fleury’s glove.
To start the third period, Minnesota had a power play on fresh ice but was subdued by Quick and his penalty killers. That included center Blake Lizotte, who, in a tense moment with all five Wild players pressing for a goal, came away with the puck and neutralized the threat.
In the second period, even after a five-minute power play for the Kings, zeroes persisted on the scoreboard.
Minnesota’s leading scorer, Kirill Kaprizov, retaliated to a check from defenseman Drew Doughty by cross-checking Doughty in the face. Initially ruled a two-minute minor penalty, the infraction was reviewed and converted to a match penalty. That signified an ejection for the Russian winger and a five-minute power play for the Kings, the highlight of which might have been Doughty waving goodbye to Kaprizov as he headed down the tunnel to the dressing room.
Minnesota coach Dean Evason took issue not only with the officials’ ruling but with their broader lack of reverence for Kaprizov, whom Kings coach Todd McLellan described as a top-10 caliber player.
“Even prior to that call, he was getting cross-checked and mauled, and he’s frustrated. We’re all frustrated because it’s not taken care of,” Evason said. “Obviously, we feel that there should be some more penalties called on a player of his stature who has the puck all the time.”
Kings seek better discipline in road-trip finale in Chicago
The Kings attempted 10 shots during the resultant extended man advantage, hitting the net with just three of them to produce yet another empty opportunity across 11 minutes on the power play for the night. After the penalty concluded, winger Brendan Lemieux left the Kings shorthanded due to his unsportsmanlike conduct penalty.
“The adjustment between the second and third (periods) mentally was really important for our team. Obviously, it didn’t go well on the power play, we were all a little bit frustrated,” McLellan said. “The break came, we reloaded and, for the last three weeks, we’ve talked about ‘Can we win a game two-one or one-nothing?’ We found a way to do it.”
Lemieux’s linemate, winger Arthur Kaliyev, had nearly broken the monotony with a goal 8:30 into the second period that was disallowed because he redirected the puck with a high stick.
In the first period, the Kings carried play, commanded the possession game, generated more quality chances and drew two penalties while out-shooting Minnesota 10-3, but went to the intermission in a scoreless draw, setting the tone for a penurious night from both sides.
The Kings will continue their homestand against Chicago on Thursday and conclude it Saturday against Detroit.
