Kings beat Ducks in season opener

Jack Johnson, center, of the Los Angeles Kings and Rob Neidermayer, left, of the Anaheim Ducks fight during the National Hockey League season opening game at the O2 Arena, in London, on Saturday. PHOTO: EPA

The NHL opened its season on the banks of the River Thames, and as far as the Los Angeles Kings were concerned, this was hockey country.

"I love London," said Kings center Mile Cammalleri, who scored two power-play goals on Saturday in a 4-1 victory over the defending champions the Anaheim Ducks. "It was good to us tonight."

This was the fourth time the NHL has begun its season outside North America, with the other three in Japan (1997, 1998 and 2000). The two California teams were due to play the second game of their series yesterday.

"It felt like a North American hockey crowd," Cammalleri said. "There wasn't much difference -- a couple of waves, like soccer, which was fun to watch."

The trip to the O2 Arena, however, was a little different from the usual drive along the congested freeways of Southern California.

"I don't remember taking a boat up a river to get to the game very often," Kings defenseman Rob Blake said.

Cammalleri the "home team" the lead by scoring with a one-timer from the slot at 8:35 of the first period, with the Kings on a two-man advantage. He added another at 1:10 of the third, tipping in a slap shot from Tom Preissing.

Blake it 2-0 at 10:15 of the second by tapping in a loose puck. Michal Handzus scored short-handed into an empty net at 19:34 of the third.

Bobby Ryan scored for the Ducks on a power play at 13:09 of the final period, knocking in a rebound to beat Kings rookie goaltender Jonathan Bernier. Bernier made 26 saves.

The Kings killed a two-man power play early in the first period, then converted when they had the same advantage. With his teammates attacking the net, Cammalleri was left alone in the slot and his shot beat goalie Ilja Bryzgalov. Lubomir Visnovsky and Alexander Frolov got the assists.

Blake added the second goal midway through the second period.

On another power play, Anze Kopitar nearly scored for the Kings after a shot from Cammalleri went across the front of goal.

Bryzgalov stopped a shot, but the puck slipped loose and got behind him. Blake, standing in front of goal, scooped it into the net. Preissing's slap shot from the point was tipped toward goal by Cammalleri, and the puck went in off the crossbar.