Kings’ Kuemper needs just 16 saves for shutout

NHL HIGHLIGHTS

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The Kings’ Anze Kopitar, left, rejoices with Alex Turcotte after scoring on Nashville, shooting from below the goal line and banking it in off the goalie’s skate. Mark Humphrey / AP

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The Associated Press

Darcy Kuemper made 16 saves for his first shutout of the season and 32nd overall, helping the Kings beat the Predators 3-0 on Monday night in Nashville, Tenn.

Adrian Kempe had a goal and an assist and Anze Kopitar and Kevin Fiala also scored. The Kings have won two of their last three.

Juuse Saros made 24 saves for the Predators. They are 1-2-1 in their last four.

Kopitar opened the scoring with 6:36 remaining in the opening period. Saros denied the Kings captain’s first shot, but Kopitar collected the rebound below the goal line and banked it off the netminder’s skate.

Fiala, a former Predator, made it 2-0 35 seconds into the third.

The Kings held Nashville to just three third-period shots on goal, the first coming with 3:55 remaining and Saros pulled for an extra attacker.

DEVILS 3, OILERS 0: Jake Allen made 31 saves for his second shutout of the season and 26th of his NHL career, helping New Jersey close its Western Canadian trip with a 3-0 victory. Jesper Bratt had a goal and an assist, and Stefan Noesen and Timo Meier also scored. The Devils have won three of last four after a four-game skid. Calvin Pickard made 13 saves for Edmonton. The Oilers had won two straight.

NOTES: St. Louis Blues defenseman Philip Broberg is expected to miss the next four to six weeks because of an apparent right leg injury.

Coach Drew Bannister gave the update on Broberg’s status, calling it a lower-body injury. Bannister called the prognosis good news given how bad the injury looked at the time. ...

Suspended Colorado forward Valeri Nichushkin was cleared to begin practicing, the team said. Nichushkin, however, remains in Stage 3 of the NHL/NHLPA player assistance program and is ineligible to play in games. His suspension is slated to last until at least mid-November. ...

Boston signed forward Tyler Johnson to a contract that will pay him $775,000 for this season. Johnson, 34, appeared in 67 games with the Blackhawks last year, when he had 17 goals and 14 assists. The 5-foot-8, 185-pound forward has 193 goals and 238 assists in 12 NHL seasons with Chicago and Tampa Bay.