Clifford, Bernier lead LA Kings past Columbus 2-1

The defending Stanley Cup champions aren't winning with flair. As long as they're winning, though, coach Darryl Sutter won't care.

Kyle Clifford opened the scoring late in the second period, Jonathan Bernier made 12 saves and the Kings beat the Columbus Blue Jackets 2-1 Friday night for their first regulation win at home this season.

Mike Richards scored during a two-man advantage in the third period for the Kings (5-5-2), who climbed over Columbus and out of last place in the Western Conference with their second straight victory. Not much about it was eye-catching, but the Kings' slow start to their title defense and a brutal February schedule can make any win look beautiful.

"We're trying to play really good defensively and score big goals," Sutter said. "That's the way we're going to have to play, right? ... If you limit them to that many shots, it means as a group you did enough to win."

Although Nick Foligno ended the shutout bid with 2:25 to play, Bernier largely shut down Columbus' punchless offense, even picking up his second career assist in his second straight victory in place of Jonathan Quick.

In his first back-to-back starts since January 2011, Bernier and his patchwork defense — which is missing three of last season's six regulars due to injury — kept the Kings firmly in control for most of their second win over Columbus in 11 days. Los Angeles returned from a five-game trip for their only Staples Center appearance in a nine-game stretch over the first three weeks of February.

"It got pretty tough at the end, but it definitely helps when you can keep those shots on the outside," Bernier said. "We're trying to win some games in a tough stretch, so we needed it, no matter who we're playing."

Sergei Bobrovsky stopped 20 shots for the 30th-place Blue Jackets, who opened a six-game trip with their fourth loss in five games.

After scoring six goals against San Jose on Monday, the Blue Jackets' offense vanished again in their first outing since firing general manager Scott Howson on Tuesday. President of hockey operations John Davidson replaced Howson with Jarmo Kekalainen, but the first European GM in NHL history won't join Columbus for a few more days while working out visa issues back in Finland.

"We didn't win a lot of battles tonight," Blue Jackets coach Todd Richards said. "There was more urgency in (the Kings') game than there was in ours, as far as winning those 1-on-1 battles in the offensive zones. We were spending more time in our defensive zone, using up our energy."