in a row and seven of nine. Anze Kopitar scored with 20.5 seconds remaining for the Kings in the opener of a four-game trip.
“We’re leaving here without any points, but I thought we played a pretty good game,” Kings coach Todd McLellan said. “We played hard. We created a number of chances. I’m sure their goaltender was probably the first star. We just got to find a way to convert, and some nights it doesn’t go your way.”
Two of the top-seven teams in the NHL on the power play went a combined 0 for 4 with the man advantage.
Minnesota appeared to take an early advantage when rookie Adam Beckman seemingly scored his first NHL goal midway through the first. But McLellan challenged the play for offsides. Hartman’s skate was just over the line before the puck and the goal was waved off.
Hartman, who has had a tough season after scoring a career-high 34 goals last season, capitalized with his first of the game off the opening faceoff of the second. He added his second of the game and ninth of the season with 4:48 remaining.
Hartman, who was a mainstay on the top line with Kirill Kaprizov and Mats Zuccarello last season, was reinstalled as the top center earlier this month. He lost his spot on the top line early in the season, ended up missing 21 games with an upper-body injury, and was a healthy scratch at one point due to his penchant for taking penalties.
Gustavsson has taken over as Minnesota’s top netminder with Marc-Andre Fleury struggling. Acquired from Ottawa for former starter Cam Talbot, Gustavsson made his sixth start in eight games.
After being given the lead by Hartman early in the second, the Swede held steady as the Kings outshot the Wild 14-4 in the period.
The Kings had scored at least five goals in four straight games.
“We got some good O-zone time,” Kopitar said. “We just couldn’t get it to go. Their goalie played good ... give them credit with where credit is due.”