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What we learned from the Kings’ 4-1 win over the Red Wings

Detroit Red Wings right wing Luke Glendening (41) defends Kings defenseman Jake Muzzin (6) in the second period on Tuesday in Detroit.
(Paul Sancya / Associated Press)
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The Kings saw red, all right, and they countered with black-and-white.

A game against the Detroit Red Wings that was going south got turned around with the snap of the fingers, thanks to the leadership group of the Kings. Jonathan Quick’s clutch succession of saves in the second period boosted the Kings to three goals in a span of three minutes, 15 seconds, from the second period to the third, in a 4-1 win Tuesday in their inaugural game at Little Caesars Arena.

Here’s what we learned:

Drew Doughty is playing inspired hockey. He’s been doing it for most of this season but his overall game was particularly outstanding. Doughty made a laser-like pass to set up Anze Kopitar’s first goal and also got the primary assist on Kopitar’s second goal.

But Doughty was also active at the other end in skating out the puck and getting it out of danger. All of it in a modest 23:04 of ice time.

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“There were some critical times in the game when we got hemmed in our zone and he’s just a patient guy that kills plays and makes plays at key times in a hockey game,” Kings coach John Stevens said. “I thought he was a difference maker tonight.”

The leaders led. Doughty wasn’t even among the three stars of the game because Kopitar, Quick and Dustin Brown took the honors. Stevens thought it was a strong overall team game, which it was, but it’s difficult to ignore how effective the Kings are when their leaders grab the game by the collar.

It conjured up thoughts of how the Kings played in 2014, but Brown threw cold water on that notion.

“I think there’s a lot of work left,” Brown said. “I think we have spurts of it, but those teams that won Cups we were like that for 59 seconds and 30 seconds. That’s the difference.”

The new pairs worked well. Stevens has changed his defensemen pairings, and the moves made him look smart Tuesday.

Doughty and Jake Muzzin were reunited for the first time since 2014. Oscar Fantenberg played with Alec Martinez and Fantenberg logged a season-high 19 minutes, 54 seconds. Derek Forbort and Christian Folin rounded out the group as a stay-at-home partnership.

Stevens said before the game that putting Doughty and Muzzin back together made sense, because of several factors.

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“They were a really solid pair in ’14 when we made the run to the Cup,” Stevens said. “I think since then, with the loss of some key people … we thought Muzz was at a point where he could be a lead guy and a partner by himself — but we’ve always thought about putting them back together just because they were so good before.”

curtis.zupke@latimes.com

Twitter: @curtiszupke

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