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Final: Kings 1, Tampa Bay 0

By Helene Elliott
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This article was originally on a blog post platform and may be missing photos, graphics or links. See About archive blog posts.

Drew Doughty made it a personal mission Thursday to shut down Steven Stamkos, Tampa Bay’s talented center and a fellow member of the 2008 NHL draft class.

It was a tall order. Stamkos entered the game as the NHL’s top scorer, Tampa Bay was the top-ranked team in the Eastern Conference, and Doughty was playing for the first time since he suffered a concussion Oct. 20.

“He’s one of the best forwards in the league and to play against him and hopefully to shut him down would be amazing,” Doughty said before the game.

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He and the Kings accomplished their task, staying atop the NHL standings with a 1-0 victory over the Lightning before an announced sellout crowd at Staples Center. Justin Williams scored the goal with 14:40 to play in the third period.

In a game that was rugged throughout and had some testy moments, the Kings (9-3) went toe to toe against the Lightning (7-3-2) and extended their perfect home record to 5-0-0. Jonathan Quick stopped 24 shots for the Kings to earn his first shutout this season and ninth of his career.

More later at www.latimes.com/sports

-- Helene Elliott

Sports Now
Helene Elliott

Helene Elliott was with the Los Angeles Times’ Sports department from 1989 to 2024, first as a staff writer and then, starting in 2006, as a columnist. She became the first female journalist to be honored with a plaque in the Hall of Fame of a major professional sport as the 2005 winner of the Hockey Hall of Fame’s Elmer Ferguson Award, awarded to writers “who have brought honor to journalism and to hockey.” A native of Brooklyn, N.Y., and graduate of Northwestern University’s Medill School of Journalism, she has covered 18 Olympics.

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