What we learned from the Kings’ 3-0 victory over the Hurricanes

What we learned from the Kings’ 3-0 victory over the Carolina Hurricanes

The big picture: Four straight wins, including victories on back-to-back nights. Before the Kings make their way to Canada for the first time this season, a few more takeaways from Friday’s win at Staples Center.

Special teams paving the way … again

There was Tyler Toffoli’s power-play goal to open the scoring in the first period, and Carolina went 0-4 on the man advantage.

“Johnny [Quick] was huge for us back there,” said Kings center Anze Kopitar, who scored his second goal of the season, to make it 2-0. “He made some really nice saves in the first and really gave us a chance to maybe get things going. I think the special teams tonight, as they usually are, they’re big, and we won that battle.

“That’s obviously a big plus.”

Jonathan Quick is moving up the shutout list

There must be something about 40 shots and goalies. Against San Jose, Jhonas Enroth faced 40 shots and made 39 saves for the Kings. A night later, Quick was flawless, stopping all 40 shots for his first shutout of the season; he’s lost to Carolina just once in five career games against the Hurricanes.

There has been a substantial upgrade in Quick’s game — and the Kings — since he allowed nine goals in his first two starts. Quick is 8-0-2 in his career when he makes 40 or more saves in a game.

His 38 career shutouts put him fourth on the list of active goalies, one behind Marc-Andre Fleury of the Pittsburgh Penguins, who is at No. 3.

Tyler Toffoli, on top of it all, has a good sense of humor

Toffoli came down with mono last season — missing six games in January — and never quite recaptured his sizzling early-season form. Still, he finished with 23 goals and 49 points in 76 games.

He was asked how to keep this current run going, like he had last season, before the illness.

“Try not to get mono again,” Toffoli said, smiling.

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