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BOX SCORE
LOS ANGELES (AP) -- The Los Angeles Kings didn't feel at home
skating the first 15 minutes against the Boston Bruins in the new
Staples Center.
|  | | Craig Johnson, right, carries the puck up ice past Boston's Jonathan Girard. |
They looked and played jittery, while the Bruins settled right
in and quieted the largest crowd to watch a professional hockey
game in California by scoring the first goal.
But the Kings recovered in time to salvage a 2-2 tie Wednesday
night on Jozef Stumpel's goal with 1:08 remaining in the third
period.
"We got through the first-period jitters when we had pucks
bouncing off our sticks and guys standing around," Kings coach
Andy Murray said. "I didn't believe we were going to have jitters,
but something was happening."
The Bruins twice blew one-goal leads to remain winless with an
0-5-4 record, their worst start since opening the 1964-65 season
with an 0-8-1 mark.
"The passion was there, but it still has to pick up a little
bit more on a consistent basis," Boston's Kyle McLaren said. "If
we keep playing the way we did tonight, we're going to have a good
chance to win games. But we have to put 60 minutes together and
have 20 guys going at all times, no matter who's on the ice."
A sellout crowd of 18,118, including NHL commissioner Gary
Bettman, watched the first pro sporting event in the new arena,
where the NBA's Lakers and Clippers also will play.
It was the home opener for the Kings, who played their first
seven games on the road while the $375 million Staples Center was
completed.
"We've got to make it our home and start dominating here, and
we did as the game went on," Rob Blake said. "We have to be tough
to play against. When you have 18,000 fans screaming, there is
quite a bit of energy that goes through guys."
Nearly 32 years ago, the Kings inaugurated their old home, the
Forum in Inglewood, with a 2-0 loss to Philadelphia.
Stumpel, a former Bruin, tied the game 2-2 with a shot that went
high over Robbie Tallas. Palffy recorded one of his two assists on
the goal.
"If you're down 2-1, you want to create as much offense as you
can," he said. "The puck came on the side, so I tried to go up
high and it was in."
The Bruins managed just three shots on goal and the Kings four
in the five-minute overtime, which ended with meager applause from
the crowd.
Sergei Samsonov put Boston ahead 2-1 at 17:37 of the third
period. He scored his first goal of the season off his own rebound
and caught Stephane Fiset sprawled on his side.
"We've played hard and we've been in every game," Boston's Dave Andreychuk said. "So we've just got to find a way to win
games. We played good at times and that's been our problem. We
haven't been consistent for 60 minutes."
Boston's Anson Carter scored the first goal in Staples Center at
4:12 of the first period.
"The only part of trivia I wanted to be part of was us getting
the first win here in the Staples Center," Carter said.
Blake tied it on a power-play goal at 10:32 of the second. His
slap shot from just inside the blue line sailed through the legs of
Tallas and provoked the first sustained cheering of the night.
Tallas was hit on his left ankle by a shot from teammate Ken
Belanger during warmups. X-rays after the game showed no break.
"It killed just pushing off, making some kick saves," he said.
"I decided I had to bite down hard, but it got worse."
Tallas kept the Bruins in the 1-1 game with some spectacular
saves. He made a glove save of Donald Audette's shot while on his
back, then stopped Craig Johnson on a breakaway late in the second
period.
Midway through the third period, Ian Laperriere got the puck
through Tallas' pads, but Tallas looked behind himself in time to
sweep the puck away with his left glove.
Moments before, Samsonov's shot hit the post and then Fiset made
an acrobatic save on Landon Wilson.
Kings right wing Marko Tuomainen left the game in the second
period after being hit with the puck. He had a cut above his left
eye and blood in the eye. He was taken to a hospital for X-rays.
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ALSO SEE
NHL Scoreboard
Boston Clubhouse
Los Angeles Clubhouse
Staples Center opening even brings L.A. fans out early
RECAPS
Nashville 4
Buffalo 3
Detroit 6
San Jose 3
Florida 5
Vancouver 2
Colorado 2
Montreal 1
Philadelphia 5
NY Rangers 0
Carolina 3
Toronto 3
Dallas 2
Edmonton 1
AUDIO/VIDEO
 Anson Carter scores the Staples Center's first ever goal.
avi: 627 k
RealVideo: 56.6 | ISDN | T1
Jozef Stumpel lights the lamp with 1:09 left to force OT.
avi: 512 k
RealVideo: 56.6 | ISDN | T1
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