Blue Jackets Top Kings 3-1, End Road Skid

LOS ANGELES — The Columbus Blue Jackets secured a 3-1 victory over the Los Angeles Kings on Monday night at Crypto.com Arena, ending a four-game road losing streak and providing a positive note before the NHL's holiday break.

Mason Marchment scored twice on the power play in the first period to give Columbus an early lead, while Kirill Marchenko added a third power-play goal in the third. Damon Severson recorded two assists, both on Marchment's goals. Goaltender Jet Greaves made 23 saves, allowing only one goal as the Blue Jackets improved to 14-15-6. For Los Angeles, Andrei Kuzmenko tallied the lone goal, and Anton Forsberg stopped 27 shots in a game where the Kings managed fewer than three goals for the sixth consecutive outing, dropping them to 15-10-9.

The win came without defenseman Zach Werenski, Columbus's leading scorer with 14 goals and 40 points, who sat out his first game of the season due to a lower-body injury sustained Saturday against the Anaheim Ducks. Werenski blocked a shot in that contest and limped to the bench, but scans revealed no fractures. Coach Dean Evason said the team opted for caution, giving Werenski rest during the break. "We think it's the...