Kings First-Rate Against Canucks

First things first.

Ian Laperriere scored his first goal of the season Thursday night.

So did Philippe Boucher.

As did Nelson Emerson.

All in the first period.

The goals sent the Kings on their way to a 6-3 victory over the Vancouver Canucks in front of a crowd of 14,620 at Staples Center that extended the Kings’ home unbeaten streak against the Canucks to 12 games.

The Kings, unbeaten in their last three overall, haven’t lost to the Canucks in Los Angeles since April 6, 1996, going 10-0-2 while outscoring them, 46-16.

“It was nice to see the pucks going in,” Coach Andy Murray said.

The Canucks were playing their second game in two nights after Wednesday’s 1-0 overtime victory over the Mighty Ducks at the Arrowhead Pond, but Murray didn’t believe that would give the Kings an advantage.

“Not the way it ended last night,” Murray said before the game. “Maybe if it had come out 0-0. But to get the 1-0 goal with [less than a minute] left has to give them a lot of energy to say, ‘Let’s get four points [in two nights].”’

The Kings had other plans.

Laperriere got the rout rolling, taking a sweet pass in the slot from Eric Belanger and shifting the puck from his backhand to his forehand before sliding it past goaltender Dan Cloutier only 3 minutes 41 seconds into the game.

The goal ended a 40-game drought for the popular “Lappy,” who earned hugs and high-fives from his teammates after his first goal since March 14.

“I’m not a goal-scorer, but it’s always fun to chip in once in awhile,” he said. “Eric made a great play. I’ve had my chances, but it seems like nothing was going in. Tonight, I got more chances and I got my first. Hopefully, I’ll get more.”

Boucher took his turn with 9:04 to play in the period, rifling a shot from the blue line for his first goal since March 8, ending a 44-game goal-less streak.

For the relentless Boucher, who would later add an empty-net goal on a length-of the-ice shot in the final two seconds, the 93rd time was a charm.

Before Thursday, the hard-working but luckless defenseman had fired a team-leading 92 shots on goal, but none had found their way into the net. When one finally did, on a power play, he credited teammates Bryan Smolinski and Adam Deadmarsh, who clogged the slot in front of Cloutier.

Then, with 4:10 remaining, Emerson took the spotlight.

The veteran winger, sidelined for all but nine games this season after suffering a concussion in a Sept. 29 exhibition game, ripped a shot from the top of the right faceoff circle that flew out of the net as fast as it entered.

Play continued for a few seconds before a quick review by the video goal judge confirmed that Emerson had scored his first goal since March 8.

Cloutier, whose 26 saves in Wednesday night’s shutout victory over the Ducks included a stop on Dan Bylsma’s penalty shot, made it to the end of the period, but Canuck Coach Marc Crawford lifted him at the start of the second.

Peter Skudra, who relieved him, didn’t fare a lot better, giving up second-period power-play goals to Craig Johnson and Steve Heinze.