The Los Angeles Kings beat the Vancouver Canucks 4-3 in a shootout to win both of the NHLB次元官网网址檚 first preseason games in China.

SaturdayB次元官网网址檚 game in Beijing caps a push by the National Hockey League to popularize the sport in China ahead of the countryB次元官网网址檚 hosting of the 2022 Winter Olympics.

Game MVP Jake Muzzin opened the scoring for the Kings in the first period.

Vancouver tied the score 3-3 in the third period with a goal from Chris Tanev but after a scoreless overtime, Jonny Brodzinski sealed the win for the Kings.

tie the game late in the 3rd, but can't complete the comeback against the Kings in Beijing in this Game In Two.

B次元官网网址� Vancouver Canucks (@Canucks)

Organizers put attendance at almost 13,000, including many drawn from the Chinese capitalB次元官网网址檚 expatriate population.

Kings coach John Stevens said time would tell if the games succeeded in boosting hockeyB次元官网网址檚 profile in the country of almost 1.3 billion people, where table tennis, badminton, football and basketball are already hugely popular. But Stevens said the experience benefited both sides.

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B次元官网网址淚 think in order to grow the game, youB次元官网网址檝e got to start by exposing the game, and itB次元官网网址檚 my hope that we made big inroads in doing that,B次元官网网址� Stevens said.

Canucks coach Travis Green said the league was firmly focused on ChinaB次元官网网址檚 youth.

B次元官网网址淚 hope that weB次元官网网址檝e made an impact,B次元官网网址� he said.

Muzzin was among the many who said theyB次元官网网址檇 been blown away by a visit to the Great Wall of China. The overall experience seemed to have a positive effect on his performance, which Muzzin said had B次元官网网址渇lourished these couple of games here.B次元官网网址�

The Kings won the first game in Shanghai on Thursday 5-2.

The Associated Press

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