ANAHEIM — For a second straight game, the Ducks were out-shot handily while leaning heavily on their goaltender. The Kings once again pulled away late as they broke a scoreless tie in the third period to end up with a 4-1 victory at Honda Center on Sunday.

The Ducks managed to come away with a point in Colorado on Friday but created less intrigue Sunday. The Kings, whose two late tallies made Thursday’s 4-1 win in Montreal appear comfortable, put in 43 scoreless minutes before breaking through Sunday and then adding two empty-net goals.

“That was the most patient we’ve been in a long time, not only this year, but even going back to last year,” Kings coach Jim Hiller said. “As the game wore on, we started getting a little bit more offensive.”

Wingers Adrian Kempe, Alex Laferriere and Kevin Fiala each scored a goal for the Kings, while defenseman Mikey Anderson contributed a goal and an assist. David Rittich denied 14 of 15 bids.

Ducks coach Greg Cronin’s patience had worn thin by the end of a night that, for a second straight match, belied the Ducks’ respectable start to the season.

“The last two games, we’ve just been on cruise control. We’re just watching the game,” Cronin said. “You can’t bring a band onto the bench and try to generate some sort of energy. They’ve got to take ownership.”

Goalie Lukáš Dostál turned in another valiant effort after his 45-save performance on Friday, but a breakaway and a turnover in the most prime scoring area imaginable turned into Kings goals, with Dostál stopping 33 other shots. Forward Ryan Strome scored a goal. Defenseman Pavel Mintyukov, who had tallied twice in the Ducks’ home opener, was out with an illness.

With 1:07 to play, the Kings cemented a regulation victory when Fiala, who had been thwarted on several solid opportunities, deposited the puck into the vacated cage. Thirty-one seconds later, Anderson tacked on another empty-netter.

Just as Dostál was skating to the bench for a sixth attacker, the Ducks halved their deficit when Frank Vatrano and Troy Terry, set up Strome’s tip-in tally with 1:44 on the clock. That trio has accounted for three of the Ducks’ last four goals.

“(The other forwards) should probably watch that line, watch how they skate and how they get pucks back. If they can copy that, we’ll probably be in better shape,” Cronin said.

The Kings had picked up a vital second goal with 11:02 to play. Defenseman Jackson LaCombe, who made his season debut after recovering from an illness, made an ill-advised pass that ended up right between the hash marks and became a de facto first assist on Laferriere’s gift-wrapped goal.

LaCombe also factored into the Kings’ first goal, though his partner Radko Gudas said he felt LaCombe managed a tough assignment against the Kings’ top line admirably and made sound decisions overall, an opinion shared by Cronin.

The Kings finally scored the game’s first goal on shot No. 23, 3:06 into the closing period. Anže Kopitar banked a stretch pass off the boards, which Kempe skated down en route to a five-hole goal off a partial breakaway.