LOS ANGELES -- After dropping their first eight contests, the Columbus Blue Jackets are turning around their fortunes.

Center Gregory Campbell's first goal of the season midway through the third period lifted the Blue Jackets to a 3-2 decision over the Los Angeles Kings in a chippy affair Thursday night at Staples Center.

"I like the spirit of the team," said coach John Tortorella, who stepped in after the Blue Jackets fired Todd Richards late last month following an 0-7-0 start. "They fought for one another. If someone was in trouble, they jumped in. In the third period, I felt we defended well and battled. We're striving for an identity, and I thought tonight was a good step in trying to play the right way."

Campbell converted a beautiful drop pass by defenseman Jack Johnson, a former King, at 10:52 of the third to put the Blue Jackets on top 3-1.

Center Brandon Dubinsky finished with a goal and an assist as Columbus (4-10-0) captured its fourth win in six games.

Kings center Jeff Carter delivered a goal, his sixth this season, with a minute left in the contest to slice the deficit to one, but the Blue Jackets held on.

Columbus goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky made 31 saves.

"We haven't had one of those games in a while, and it felt good," Columbus forward Scott Hartnell said of the physical nature. "(It was like) back in the '80s when everyone was chirping after the whistles and there were a couple of big fights. We weren't great tonight, but (Bobrovsky) was there to make some big saves when we broke down."

Goalie Jonathan Quick stopped 22 of 25 shots as the Kings (8-5-0) fell for only the second time in 10 games.

The Kings lost despite preventing the Blue Jackets from attempting a shot in the second period. It marked the first time the Los Angeles defense didn't allow a shot in a period at home since April 5, 1978, against the St. Louis Blues.

"The three (games) in four (nights) got us early," Kings coach Darryl Sutter said. "Then we tried to come back, and we got lot of opportunities that we couldn't score on."

Los Angeles outshot Columbus 23-8 through two periods. However, the Blue Jackets took 17 shots to 10 for the Kings in the third.

"We just talked about wiping everything clean from the 40 minutes and starting again and just try to play territory," Tortorella said of the third period. "Quite honestly, I thought we made more plays in the third period, just the puck poise and defending properly, than we did in the first two."

Right winger Cam Atkinson redirected a pass from Dubinsky for a power-play goal to put the Blue Jackets up 1-0 at 6:22 of the first period. It was Atkinson's third goal of the season.

The Kings answered with a power play on their own. Defenseman Alec Martinez fielded a pass from captain Dustin Brown and ripped a shot from the circle past Bobrovsky at 12:47 of the first to tie the score at 1. It was Martinez's second goal of the season.

Tempers flared, one of many skirmishes throughout the contest, at 14:20 of the first when Quick charged Hartnell outside the Kings' net and a scrum followed. Both were penalized for slashing, but Hartnell was handed an additional two minutes for roughing.

The teams combined for 50 penalty minutes through two periods, and 52 penalty minutes overall. Kings left winger Kyle Clifford and center Andy Andreoff and Blue Jackets left winger Nick Foligno, who dropped Clifford with a punch in the first, and Campbell each earned majors for fighting.

Columbus grabbed the lead again with 2:47 remaining in the first, when Foligno banged a shot off Dubinsky that bounced into the net for a 2-1 advantage. Dubinsky registered his fourth goal this season.

NOTES: The Blue Jackets tightened their defense recently, allowing 16 goals in the first seven contests (2.29 average) since John Tortorella took over as head coach. They went 4-3-0 in that span. In the seven contests prior to that, Columbus gave up 34 goals (4.86 average). ... Kings G Jonathan Quick was 6-2 with a 1.73 goals-against average and a .938 save percentage in his past eight contests before Thursday. ... Columbus scratched RW Rene Bourque, LW Kerby Rychel and D Cody Goloubef. Los Angeles' scratches were D Derek Forbort and C Jordan Weal. ... The clubs meet again for the final time in the regular season Dec. 18 at Nationwide Arena in Columbus. ... The Blue Jackets visit the Anaheim Ducks on Friday night to cap their three-game road swing. The Kings host the Florida Panthers on Saturday in the second game of their five-game homestand.