Kings' Ilya Kovalchuk lays out two Canucks players in five seconds

Feb. 15 (UPI) -- Los Angeles Kings left wing Ilya Kovalchuk needed just five seconds to lay out two players during a painful stretch for the Vancouver Canucks.

Kovalchuk delivered the blows in the third period of the Kings' 4-3 shootout loss on Thursday at Staples Center in Los Angeles. The Kings led 3-2 when Kovalchuck was going after the puck along the boards on the left side.

He came up Alex Biega, who attempted to steal the puck. But Biega got a face full of Kovalchuk's right shoulder instead. Kovalchuk delivered the harsh hit, sending Biega flying to the ice with his skates in the air.

Kovalchuk then turned around and skated up the boards for a hit on Adam Gaudette, who was battling for the puck with his Kings teammates.

Elias Pettersson lit the lamp for first blood 12:22 into the game for Vancouver. Austin Wagner tied it eight seconds later. Brock Boeser netted his 20th goal of the season 9:46 into the second frame to give Vancouver another lead, before Michal Amadio tied it again at the 12:28 mark in the period.

Alec Martinez gave Los Angeles a 3-2 edge 10:59 into the third period. Gaudette returned to the scoresheet for the final goal of regulation with 1:38 remaining, forcing overtime. Neither team lit the lamp in the extra frame.

Kovalchuk scored the first goal of the shootout, before Pettersson answered for Vancouver. The Kings' Anze Kopitar and Adrian Kempe were both stonewalled on their attempts, as was Vancouver's Markus Granlund.

Boeser stepped up for the game-winning shootout score, winning it for the Canucks. Kovalchuk and the Kings host the Boston Bruins at 10:30 p.m. on Saturday at Staples Center. The Canucks have another California road clash coming against the San Jose Sharks at 10 p.m. on Saturday at the SAP Center in San Jose.