Quick Gaborik fires Kings to 2-0 series lead over Ducks

(Reuters) - Marian Gaborik continued his red-hot touch with a goal after 34 seconds to help lead the Los Angeles Kings past the Anaheim Ducks 3-1 on Monday as the visitors opened a 2-0 lead in their Western Conference semi-finals series. Gaborik stood out in the series-opening win on Saturday when he tied the game with seven seconds left in regulation and netted the winner in overtime, and he showed no signs of slowing down in Game Two. The Sloviakin winger and the Kings are surging at just the right time, having won six straight contests. They fell 3-0 behind in their first-round series against San Jose but completed a rare comeback and have looked impressive in the first two games in Anaheim. "It doesn't even feel like being on the road," Kings coach Darryl Sutter told reporters, of playing cross-town from their own arena. "We played really good in this building during the regular season. It was the same for us tonight." Following the quick tally, Anaheim's Patrick Maroon tied the game at 9:40 in the first period but Alec Martinez responded with the decisive tally less than three minutes later. Dwight King tacked on an empty-net goal for Los Angeles in the closing seconds. Goaltender Jonathan Quick, who won the Conn Smythe Trophy when the Kings won the Stanley Cup in 2012, made 36 saves in a strong performance. Anaheim outshot Los Angeles 37-17 yet till came out on the losing end. "I'm ticked off right now," Anaheim center Ryan Getzlaf said. "We're in playoff time right now. There are no excuses for anything. We have to be better." The Ducks will attempt to recover from two straight home losses when the series shifts down the road to Los Angeles for Game Three on Thursday. (Writing by Jahmal Corner in Los Angeles, editing by Nick Mulvenney)