What we learned from the Kings’ 4-2 victory over the New Jersey Devils

What we learned from the Kings’ 4-2 victory over the New Jersey Devils on Saturday.

Jeff Carter is good at hockey

Carter said he hasn’t consciously tried to elevate his game while Anze Kopitar recovers from a hand/arm injury, but he played a huge role in the Kings’ triumph over the Devils. Coach Darryl Sutter reunited the line of Tanner Pearson, Jeff Carter and Tyler Toffoli a few games ago, and their old chemistry returned quickly. They can operate at high speed in a league that prizes speed and puck possession. Pearson and Carter, who each scored against the Devils, share the team goal-scoring lead with seven each. Carter has two goals and three points in his last two games and is two points from reaching 600 in his career. Toffoli has a goal and three points in his last two games.

They’re consistent at being inconsistent

Lose three, win four. Lose three, win three. Lose four (including one shootout), win two. That’s how the Kings’ season has gone so far, sharp turns from one extreme to the other. They’d like to establish a winning pattern, and they’re hoping that defeating Edmonton and New Jersey in their last two games could launch them toward consistent success.

“I think it’s just playing better hockey,” defenseman Alec Martinez said of their recent wins. “There’s certainly some things we need to get better at still, but as far as I’m concerned I think we just take things one game at a time. If you look at our record, we’ve lost three, won three, lost three. We’ve got too many ups and downs, so we’ve got to figure that out.”

Nic Dowd is making big strides

He has had some bad days—he was minus-four defensively at Colorado on Tuesday—but he has meshed with wingers Dustin Brown and Devin Setoguchi. They teamed to set up Martinez for the Kings’ first goal on Saturday, giving Dowd eight assists this season. That tied him with Martinez for the team lead in assists. Dowd has assists in three straight games. In addition, he was credited with a team-high seven assists as the Kings outhit the Devils, 38-36.

helene.elliott@latimes.com

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