Kings win on Blues' ice again to go up 2-0

Anze Kopitar scored twice in a four-goal, first-period blitz as the visiting Los Angeles Kings embarrassed the Blues from the opening faceoff in a 5-2 victory for their fifth straight road win this postseason.

Brad Richards and Jeff Carter had a goal apiece and Dustin Penner and Dustin Brown each had a pair of assists in a period that was one goal shy of the franchise playoff record of five in 1993 against Vancouver.

Brown assisted on Kopitar's shorthanded goal and has a hand in all four of the Kings' shorthanded goals in the playoffs -- two goals and two assists.

Andy McDonald scored 18 seconds into the second for St. Louis, but Justin Williams squashed thoughts of a comeback when he scored on the Kings' first shot of the period. Then they sat on that cushion, taking five shots the last two periods.

The eighth-seeded Kings have won seven straight on the road in the playoffs counting a pair against San Jose last spring and are in an enviable spot taking the series back to Los Angeles, with Game 3 Thursday night. They opened the first round with a pair of victories at Vancouver, taking out the Presidents' Trophy winners in five games.

Devils must slow JVR

James van Riemsdyk, playing just his third game for the Flyers since returning from a broken foot, had a goal and was robbed of two more in a 4-3 overtime win over the Devils in Game 1.

The former second overall pick in the NHL draft was all over the ice. He had two breakaways after the Devils tied it at 3 in the third period, but Martin Brodeur made huge saves.

"We have to do a better job of boxing out in front of Marty," Devils coach Peter DeBoer said. "We also have to do a better job of limiting the time they spend in our end of the ice. We need to clear the puck out and keep the puck in the other end."

Game 2 is tonight at the Wells Fargo Center.