Kings gut it out to beat Minnesota, 3-2, in shootout

Dustin Brown had been ejected, a consequence of the NHL’s new rule against illegal checks to the head, and the Kings had to play without their captain from 8:12 of the second period onward Monday at the Xcel Energy Center.

Because Rule 48 also mandates a five-minute major penalty for such hits — even though replays appeared to show Brown struck the shoulder of Minnesota Wild forward Antti Miettinen and not the head — the Kings also faced a five-minute power play by the Wild, which was the league’s most potent team with a man advantage.

Oh, and the Kings were trailing. On the road. And still without defenseman Drew Doughty, who was placed on injured reserve retroactive to last Thursday because of a concussion.

Not a problem for the Kings, who gutted out a 3-2 victory after a five-round shootout, their fifth triumph in six games.

“It was a big challenge for us, and the boys played well,” said goaltender Jonathan Quick, who made 20 saves in the game and stopped an uninjured Miettinen to clinch the tiebreaker.

First-period goals by John Madden, on a rebound, and Nick Schultz, on a blast that deflected before reaching Quick, had given Minnesota a 2-0 lead. The Kings got one back on a power-play wrist shot by Jarret Stoll late in the first, and that’s how things stood when Brown leveled Miettinen in the Kings’ zone.

Referee Wes McCauley called the new penalty, which also subjects Brown to a suspension. The NHL’s inconsistent application of justice makes it impossible to predict the outcome, but Miettinen played on the subsequent power play and it’s not clear that Brown hit the Finnish forward in the head. Miettinen didn’t speak to reporters afterward.

The game misconduct can be rescinded, and Coach Terry Murray said McCauley had promised to review the play.

“If I’d hit him in the head, he’d probably be on the ice for a lot longer than he was,” Brown said. “The league’s looking at hits like that. I think that was a clean hit from top to bottom. Shoulder on shoulder. He’s shooting the puck — he’s in a vulnerable position maybe but I’m not going to not make that.”

Murray agreed: “You have an offensive player in a prime scoring area shooting the puck. A defending player has to have the ability to get a contact there.”

Both acknowledged the referees have little time to make such calls.

The league would “probably make that call every time because they’re all over the refs to make those type of calls,” Brown said.

The Kings killed off that penalty, keeping power-play catalyst Matt Cullen from controlling the puck, and pulled even when Anze Kopitar rebounded a Jack Johnson shot during a five-on-three advantage at 19:42 of the second period.

In the shootout, Kopitar and Mikko Koivu scored in the first round. Johnson was stopped by Niklas Backstrom but Cullen put a wrist shot past Quick. Stoll kept things going with a snap shot and Quick stopped Marek Zidlicky.

After a scoreless fourth round, Michal Handzus deked Backstrom before lifting a shot over the fallen goalie. Quick then stopped Miettinen’s wrist shot.

“It was definitely not the start we wanted,” Stoll said, “but we were patient enough to get the win.”

Even without Doughty, who was injured last Wednesday. General Manager Dean Lombardi said Doughty had a setback Saturday and is doubtful for the finale of this trip, Thursday at Dallas. Jake Muzzin was recalled from Manchester to replace him. No sense rushing Doughty when his teammates are showing resilience during trying times.

helene.elliott@latimes.com

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