SALT LAKE CITY (Interstat) — Joel Armia scored two goals and the Los Angeles Kings built an early lead to defeat the Utah Mammoth 4-2 on Monday night at Delta Center. Armia and Adrian Kempe scored in the first period to give Los Angeles a 2-0 advantage. Utah’s Dylan Guenther scored late in the second, but Armia’s second goal restored the two-goal cushion early in the third. After Clayton Keller brought Utah back within one, Anze Kopitar sealed the win for the Kings with a backhand goal. Kempe finished with a goal and an assist, Kevin Fiala had two assists and goaltender Darcy Kuemper made 19 saves for Los Angeles. The Kings improved to 14-15, while the Mammoth fell to 14-17.

SALT LAKE CITY (Interstat) — Joel Armia scored twice and the Los Angeles Kings built an early lead before holding off the Utah Mammoth for a 4-2 victory on Monday night at Delta Center. Adrian Kempe added a goal and an assist, and Anze Kopitar also scored for the Kings, who won for the third time in five games to improve to 14-15. Kevin Fiala contributed two assists, and goaltender Darcy Kuemper made 19 saves. The Kings seized control with a pair of first-period goals. Armia opened the scoring at the 10:08 mark, finishing a setup from Fiala with a wrist shot for his sixth goal of the season. Kempe doubled the advantage less than three minutes later, converting a backhand chance off another Fiala feed for his 10th. Utah, which fell to 14-17, cut the deficit in half early in the second period. Just 34 seconds into the frame, Dylan Guenther unleashed a slap shot for his 11th goal, assisted by Clayton Keller and Mikhail Sergachev. The Mammoth carried momentum from that goal for much of the period, outshooting Los Angeles 10-6, but could not solve Kuemper again. The Kings’ penalty kill also stood firm, negating a tripping minor to Kempe midway through the period to preserve the one-goal lead entering the third. Los Angeles restored its two-goal cushion at 9:27 of the final period. Kempe and defenseman Joel Edmundson combined to set up Kopitar, who netted his sixth of the year with a backhand shot. Utah responded quickly, with Keller cutting the lead to 3-2 just over six minutes later. He finished a backhand of his own at 16:15, with Nick Schmaltz and JJ Peterka earning assists, energizing the home crowd. The Mammoth pressed for the equalizer and pulled goaltender Karel Vejmelka for an extra attacker in the final minutes. However, Armia sealed the victory with an empty-net goal, his seventh of the season, with 54:22 elapsed in the period to cap the scoring at 4-2. Vejmelka stopped 23 of 26 shots in the loss for Utah. The game was a physical affair from the outset, with Los Angeles setting an early tone. The Kings were credited with 21 hits to Utah’s 20, and the teams combined for five minor penalties. Los Angeles defenseman Drew Doughty received a cross-checking minor in the final three minutes, but the Kings’ penalty kill closed out the game successfully. Armia, named the game’s top star, now has three goals in his last five contests. His two-goal performance led a balanced Los Angeles attack that saw 10 different players record at least one point. The result defied the pregame betting lines, which had installed Utah as a 1.5-goal favorite. The total of six goals also went under the posted over/under line of 5.5. Statistical projections were split, with one simulator favoring Utah 3-2, while an ELO rating system gave Los Angeles a 55.3% probability to win. The Kings continue their road trip Wednesday against the Seattle Kraken. The Mammoth look to rebound at home Wednesday against the Florida Panthers.

Preview: Kings Look to Halt Skid Against Surging Mammoth SALT LAKE CITY (Interstat) — The struggling Los Angeles Kings aim to snap a three-game losing streak when they visit the Utah Mammoth at Delta Center on Monday night. Los Angeles (12-15-0) enters on the heels of a 2-1 home loss to Chicago on Thursday, its sixth defeat in the last eight games. The Kings’ offense has sputtered, managing just three total goals during the current three-game skid. Utah (14-15-0), meanwhile, is riding a wave of momentum after a dominant 4-1 road victory in Vancouver on Friday, which followed a 7-0 rout in Anaheim. The Mammoth have won four of their last six outings to climb back toward .500. A key player to watch for Los Angeles is forward Joel Armia. While the Kings have struggled to score, Armia has been a physical presence, recording hits in seven of his last ten games. He also has three goals and an assist over that stretch. For Utah, center Kevin Stenlund is coming off his most productive game of the season, notching a goal and an assist against the Canucks. His recent surge includes points in three of his last six contests. In net, the Kings could turn to Darcy Kuemper, who made 34 saves in the loss to Chicago. Utah likely will counter with Karel Vejmelka, who stopped 31 of 32 shots in the win at Vancouver. This matchup marks the first meeting of the season between the Pacific Division rivals. The Kings will need to solve their offensive woes against a Utah team that has outscored opponents 11-1 over its last two games. Following Monday’s contest, Los Angeles continues a road trip Wednesday in Seattle. Utah remains home to host the Florida Panthers on Wednesday.