Kings 5, Predators 1: Jeff Carter recorded his fifth career hat trick as Los Angeles began a five-game homestand with its sixth win in seven overall games.

Mike Richards and Dwight King also scored, defenseman Slava Voynov collected three assists and Jonathan Bernier made 18 saves for the Kings, who netted one goal in two losses to Nashville earlier this season.

Los Angeles registered only three shots in a scoreless first period but took the lead on their first shot of the middle session as Carter put a backhander past Pekka Rinne during a power play at 5:28. He doubled the advantage 4:39 into the third by tucking the puck around Rinne and completed his natural hat trick 19 seconds later on a breakaway, giving him 10 goals in as many games.

Richards cashed in on a power-play opportunity at 7:40 and King converted a pass from Jarret Stoll just over three minutes later to chase Rinne, who stopped eight shots.

Gabriel Bourque scored the lone goal for the Predators, who lost for the fifth time in six games and have netted a total of three tallies in the defeats. Nashville fell to 0-5-1 in its last six road contests.

GAME NOTEBOOK: Kings D Alec Martinez returned to the lineup after missing eight games with an upper-body injury. ... Los Angeles has allowed three goals or less in 12 of its last 13 contests. ... Carter recorded his fifth game-winning goal of the season, tying him with Pittsburgh's James Neal for the league lead. ... Bourque has scored the only goal in each of Nashville's last two games.