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Glendale, Ariz. • Anze Kopitar scored two goals to spark Los Angeles' top line and the defending Stanley Cup Kings earned their first victory of the season, 4-2 over the Phoenix Coyotes Saturday night.
Scoreless through the season's first three games, the Kings' top line of Kopitar, Dustin Brown and Justin Williams had an extra jump against the Coyotes, combining for four points.
Jake Muzzin had a goal and an assist and Jeff Carter also scored for Los Angeles, which matched its season total for goals to avoid its first four-game winless start since 1997-98. Eight players had at least a point for the Kings.
Mikkel Boedker and Shane Doan scored for the Coyotes, who had another night of defensive letdowns for their fourth loss in five games.
The Kings and Coyotes already didn't like each other much and the hatred intensified during a testy Western Conference finals last season.
Los Angeles won the series in five games on the way to its first Stanley Cup, but not before the teams traded blows, including a hit by Brown in the clinching game that knocked Phoenix defenseman Michal Rozsival out and left the Coyotes fuming.