Kiyoshi Mio-USA TODAY Sports

Adrian Kempe scored a short-handed goal and also had an assist to highlight a four-goal first period for Los Angeles and Cam Talbot made 29 saves to lead the host Kings to a 5-1 victory over the St. Louis Blues on Saturday night.

Quinton Byfield, Blake Lizotte, Pierre-Luc Dubois and Kevin Fiala also scored for Los Angeles, which closed to within five points of the first-place Vegas Golden Knights in the Pacific Division with two games in hand. The Kings also improved to 8-1-2 over their last 11 games.

Talbot picked up his ninth victory (9-3-1), second in the league behind Colorado's Alexandar Georgiev (10-4-0).

Jake Neighbours scored a goal and Jordan Binnington finished with 25 saves for St. Louis, which lost its second straight game.

Los Angeles scored twice in the first three minutes to take a 2-0 lead. Byfield got the first goal on a power play when he whacked in a rebound on his third try from in front of the crease for his third goal of the season.

Lizotte followed 19 seconds later with his fourth goal when he stole a pass below the right circle and put in a wrist shot inside the near post.

Kempe made it 3-0 at the 13:37 mark with his 10th career short-handed goal and eighth goal of the season when he roofed a backhand shot on a breakaway.

Dubois extended the lead to 4-0 just 1:43 later when he finished an odd-man rush with a one-timer from the right circle.

Fiala made it 5-0 with 24 seconds left in the second period when he broke down the slot, took a pass from Phillip Danault and fired a wrist shot past Binnington's blocker side.

Neighbours spoiled Talbot's bid for his second shutout of the season with 3:54 to go when he rushed down the left wing and fired a wrist shot into the top-left corner for his third goal of the season.

More must-reads:

TODAY'S BEST
Pacers' Pascal Siakam leads team to Game 6 win vs. Knicks
Watch: Matt Duchene's 2OT winner sends Stars to conference final
Scottie Scheffler shoots improbable 66 after warming up for PGA Championship in a jail cell
Report: Tua Tagovailoa away from Dolphins amid contract chatter
Nuggets star has worrying comment about latest injury
Paul Skenes makes incredible Wrigley Field history in second-career MLB start
Giants rookie CF to undergo season-ending labrum surgery
Yankees' Juan Soto reacts to Hal Steinbrenner contract talk
Late goal sends Panthers to Eastern Conference Finals
Ex-teammate of Shohei Ohtani placed bets with same illegal bookmaker as interpreter 
Former Rams first-round pick retires from NFL after 11 seasons
Insider provides major injury update on Celtics' Kristaps Porzingis
Watch: Bruins strike first in Game 6 with incredible backhand goal
Dodgers make series of moves involving notable players
Hurricanes not expected to re-sign defenseman, center
Maple Leafs tab former Stanley Cup winner as new head coach
NFL insider expands on competition between Steelers QBs Russell Wilson, Justin Fields
NFL sets outrageous prices for Eagles-Packers Brazil game
Broncos 'very unlikely' to bring back former NFL interceptions leader
Greg Olsen offers broadcasting advice to Tom Brady

Want more Kings news?

Join the hundreds of thousands of fans who start their day with Yardbarker's Morning Bark, the best newsletter in sports.