Kings win series opener at St. Louis, 3-1

ST. LOUIS -- And the defense led the way ... at both ends.

Defensemen Slava Voynov and Matt Greene scored their first career playoff goals to lead the Kings to a 3-1 victory over the Blues on Saturday night at Scottrade Center in Game 1 of a Western Conference semifinal series.

Greene’s goal, a shorthanded effort, put the Kings ahead for good, 2-1, with 1:03 remaining in the second period. The Kings didn’t ice the victory until an empty-net goal by Dustin Penner with 14.2 seconds left.

Penner was responsible for setting up Voynov’s goal at 16:58 of the first period, tying the game at 1-1.

Goaltender Jonathan Quick, again, kept the Kings in it, facing an early barrage from the Blues, who dominated the first period. Quick faced 29 shots in the game.

[Update, 8:36 p.m.: David Backes, and not David Perron, opened the scoring on a deflection of a shot by Alex Pietrangelo in the first period for the Blues, who got 26 saves from goalie Brian Elliott.]

The victory gives the Kings a 4-0 road record in these playoffs. Game 2 is Monday night in St. Louis.

This was the first time the Kings have won a game against the Blues in the playoffs. In their two previous postseason meetings, the Blues swept the Kings, in 1969 and 1998.

MORE

Kings Coach Darryl Sutter familiar with playoff foe

Kings and Blues could stretch this playoff series

Blues and Kings can’t help but like each other

Kings win series opener at St. Louis, 3-1