NHL: Los Angeles 5, Washington 4

The Los Angeles Kings, led by Anze Kopitar’s two goals and one assist Thursday, skated to a 5-4 win over the Washington Capitals.

With just 13 seconds gone in the second period, Kopitar’s 14th goal of the season — the first of three second-period goals against Washington goalie Jose Theodore — gave LA a 2-1 lead. Kopitar’s 13th (power play) had created a 1-1 tie at 8:55 of the first.

Michal Handzus (shorthanded), Patrick O’Sullivan, and Kyle Calder scored a goal apiece for the Kings.

Alexander Frolov and Dustin Brown both had two assists, while goalie Jon Quick made 41 saves on 45 shots in the Kings’ fifth win in their last six outings.

Washington got one goal each from Alexander Semin, Mike Green (power play), Alex Ovechkin (unassisted) and Brooks Laich. Ovechkin leads the NHL with 37 goals this season.

Nicklas Backstrom had two assists and Green had one. Theodore was beaten five times on 35 shots for the Capitals, who had won three in a row.