What we learned from the Kings’ 4-1 win over the Calgary Flames

A few takeaways from the Kings’ latest triumph as they finished their best December with 10 wins, a team record:

Balanced scoring on display

The Kings have morphed from the Tyler Toffoli/Jeff Carter scoring show into a well-balanced attack.

Eight players had a hand in the scoring: Marian Gaborik and Tanner Pearson each scored once and added an assist. For Gaborik, it was his first multiple-point outing since Dec. 7 and his fourth of the season.

“It was a great trip for us,” Gaborik said, of going 4-0. “All divisional opponents. We got eight points. For the most part, we did a great job defensively and played our system. That’s very important against divisional opponents.

“We’re motivated, for sure. Every game we come into, you want to win it and we believe we can win. That’s been the attitude since October.”

Don’t expect much rest for goalie Jonathan Quick

With the Flames surging in the third period, trying to cut the Kings’ lead to one goal, Quick made a sharp glove save on Micheal Ferland at 8:46. Calgary also went 0 for 6 on the power play.

“Quickie was there when we needed him,” Gaborik said.

In 31 appearances, Quick has won 21 games, second in the league to Braden Holtby of the Washington Capitals. From the way Kings Coach Darryl Sutter was talking, Quick won’t be having very many nights off.

“He can play every game for the rest of the year,” Sutter said. “We’ve gotta win games. Not playing favorites. The other goalie [Jhonas Enroth] hasn’t had much luck lately, has he?”

Of course, this was said with a few hours remaining in 2015.

Quick strike capability on display, again

No, not Jonathan Quick.

The Kings’ goal-scoring woes vanished on this trip. Not only did they rack up plenty of goals, the Kings scored in rapid-fire fashion, most prominently in Edmonton with three goals in 1:36 and two in a 16-second span.

Against Calgary, they were leading 1-0 in the second period and turned a tight game in a 3-0 lead on goals 1:18 apart, by Milan Lucic and Andy Andreoff.

“That was the difference in the game,” said Flames captain Mark Giordano in Calgary’s dressing room afterward. “They outplayed us until we got down three and then we started to take chances to come from behind.

“They’re a great team, obviously one of the best in the league this year, and they came out in the second hungry and got those two goals that really were the difference.”