Kings defeat Columbus, 5-2, after Anze Kopitar sustains injury

The Kings extended their winning streak to six on Sunday with a 5-2 victory over the Columbus Blue Jackets at Staples Center, but their joy was tempered by the upper-body injury that took center Anze Kopitar out of the game about 13 minutes into the second period.

Kings officials said only that he had sustained an upper-body injury but would not be specific. Kopitar has led the Kings in scoring each of the last seven seasons.

Jeff Carter, Tyler Toffoli, Dwight King and Tanner Pearson (twice) scored goals for the Kings, who completed their first 6-0-0 homestand in club history. Goaltender Jonathan Quick stopped 21 shots by the Blue Jackets, who were physical throughout the game.

Carter, Toffoli and Pearson have scored 16 of the Kings’ 21 goals this season. Carter and Toffoli each had a goal and three assists Sunday as the Kings improved to 6-1-1.

Columbus led, 1-0, on a power-play goal by Tim Erixon at 14:39 of the first period before Carter scored at 3:04 of the second period, during a five-on-three advantage. Toffoli and King scored two minutes and two seconds apart in the middle period to push the Kings’ lead to 3-1.

Mark Letestu cut that lead to 3-2 with a nasty shot that beat Quick to the glove side at 19:04 of the second period. Pearson re-established a two-goal lead for the Kings when he whipped a shot from the left side past goalie Sergei Bobrovsky at 11:49 of the third period. Pearson made it 5-2 when he converted the rebound of a shot by Toffoli, who had been set up by Carter.

Columbus forward Nick Foligno was taken off the ice on a stretcher at 8:26 of the third period after he collided with linesman Shane Heyer and fell to the ice face-first. Heyer was jumping out of the way to avoid the puck when Foligno, trying to enter the Kings’ zone, appeared to hit his head against Heyer’s body.

Foligno remained motionless on the ice for several minutes while medical personnel tended to him. He was able to lift his right hand and weakly wave to the crowd as he was carried out.

A Blue Jackets spokesman said Foligno has a stiff neck but is expected to be OK.