Kings beat Wild, 5-2, to end losing streak and hit halfway point with a win

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Alexander Frolov had two goals and an assist and Michal Handzushad a goal and an assist as the Kings ended their four-game losing streak Thursday with a 5-2 victory over the Wild at the Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul, Minn.

The game brought the Kings at the halfway point of the 82-game season with a record of 23-15-3.

Despite playing for the second time in two nights -- they lost at Calgary on Wednesday -- the Kings had a lot of jump early on. They built a 3-0 lead in the first period and extended it to 4-0 in the second period on a one-timer by Handzus from the right circle, off a pass from Frolov.

Minnesota cut that to 4-1 at 4:50 and to 4-2 at 13:57 of the third period when an unchecked Owen Nolan rifled a wrist shot past Jonathan Quick, but Quick met several tough challenges in the final minutes and Frolov scored into an empty net with 1:38 to play. That allowed the Kings to escape with the win and the promise of a pleasant charter flight back home to warmer climes.

For the Kings to be in the top eight in the tight West at this stage is commendable, especially after their recent slump and the injuries they’ve endured.

They’ve lost a half-dozen key players at different times and endured tough stretches in a schedule compressed to accommodate the Olympic break in February but they’ve managed to hang in there and compete, and that positions them well for a season that’s only going to get tougher in the final months.

We’ll have more later at www.latimes.com/sports

-- Helene Elliott, reporting from St. Paul, Minn.