from Curtis Zupke of the LA Times,

Those cheery vibes the Kings earned for the Christmas break were tossed aside like torn gift-wrapping paper halfway into the game.

The Arizona Coyotes were under their skin in the form of Nick Cousins, who tried to take out the legs of goalie Jonathan Quick and soon got into an animated tussle and shouting match with Austin Wagner that lasted all the way to the penalty boxes in a second period going nowhere for the Kings.

It turned out to be the fire they needed to keep this midseason push burning Thursday. Dustin Brown scored 17 seconds into the third period and the Kings won their fourth straight game 2-1 at Staples Center.

Brown lifted the puck up and off goalie Darcy Kuemper from the right side on a simple rush play. Coupled with Jake Muzzin’s fluky first-period goal, the Kings continued to dig even though they remain in last place in the Western Conference.

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