Wed Jan 2 01:48:40 2008

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Nagy's hat trick leads Kings to rout of Blackhawks

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Los Angeles, CA (Sports Network) - Ladislav Nagy notched a hat trick and two assists as the Los Angeles Kings pounded the Chicago Blackhawks, 9-2, in the back end of a home-and-home set.

Alexander Frolov tallied two goals and three assists while Jason LaBarbera made 31 saves in the win for the Kings, who have won three straight after an eight-game losing streak.

"This was a team effort tonight," said Nagy. "Everybody played well. Our power play worked really well for us. We played like a team. We just tried to shoot the puck on net and look for rebounds."

Martin Lapointe and Patrick Sharp each scored for the Blackhawks, who have dropped their last two games after a four-game winning streak.

Nikolai Khabibulin started in net, but was pulled after giving up four goals on nine shots. Patrick Lalime made 12 saves in relief.

Los Angeles beat the Blackhawks 3-2 in overtime at Chicago on Sunday.

Chicago got the first goal of the game as Lapointe recovered a loose puck at the low left side, skated behind the net and used a wraparound to beat LaBarbera just 2:54 in.

The Kings, though, tied the game just 1:08 later on the power play. Nagy blasted a shot from the right circle that hit off the stick of a Chicago player and went right to Tom Preissing, who one-timed it from the slot past Khabibulin.

The Blackhawks again grabbed the lead with a power-play goal as a quick pass from Patrick Kane to the left side of the net was one-timed in by Sharp at the 11:01 mark of the first.

However, the Kings answered with three straight goals to close out the first period with a 4-2 lead.

Nagy got things going as he kept in a clearing attempt at the left point, took a stride on net and beat Khabibulin with a quick shot into the left corner with 8:46 left.

Patrick O'Sullivan then gave Los Angeles the lead with a slow backhander between the pads of Khabibulin with 6:36 left and a bit over two minutes later, Nagy netted his second goal of the game with a wrister between the legs of a defender and past Khabibulin, who was pulled from net after the goal and replaced by Lalime.

In the second period, Los Angeles made it a 5-2 game as Brad Stuart blasted a shot from the left point that Frolov redirected between the pads of Lalime just 28 seconds in.

The Kings made it a 6-2 contest with 4:44 left in the second as Kyle Calder sent a quick pass from the right side to the left where Frolov one-timed it in.

Nagy completed the hat trick just 16 seconds into the third period as he one- timed a shot from the slot past Lalime.

Dustin Brown scored on a breakaway with a backhander at the 5:18 mark while Lubomir Visnovsky's one-timer from the high slot with 12:20 to play capped the scoring in the game.

Game Notes

Chicago plays in Phoenix on Thursday...The Kings host the Blue Jackets on Thursday...The nine goals was a season-high scored for Los Angeles and a season-high in goals allowed for Chicago...It was the third career hat trick for Nagy and he tied a career-high in points...It was a career high in points for Frolov...Los Angeles went 5-for-7 on the power play while Chicago finished 1-for-2.