
The Los Angeles Kings and Detroit Red Wings did battle on Thursday night as two of the leagues hottest teams. The two did not disappoint as they put together one of the most enterataing games of a busy night in the NHL.
Detroit went up 3-1 in the third period before a late push from LA that forced extra time. Although they forced overtime, the Kings eventually came up short in a shootout. One of, if not the craziest endings of the young 2025-26 season ended up going Detroits way.
Despite the loss, the Kings point streak improves to an NHL high seven games.
After the first period provided no score or any real action besides penalties from both Phillip Danault and Ben Chiarot. Both teams killed off their respective minors.
The Kings broke the deadlock just over halfway through the middle frame. As the Kings were killing off a Kevin Fiala tripping minor, Alex Laferriere scored his third of the season with a beautiful short-handed goal. Laferriere won a loose puck battle in the neutral zone while entering the Red Wings end with speed before beating Wings goaltender Cam Talbot with a backhand shot. Quinton Byfield and Cody Ceci pick up assists for their first shorthanded points of the season.
However, the lead did not last long. Detroit tied the game up on the same power play less than a minute later. After cycling the puck around the Kings end, Lucas Raymond found Alex DeBrincat who fired a one-timer from the face-off dot past Darcy Kuemper to make it a 1-1 hockey game.
The Kings gave the Wings a chance to take the lead almost instantly after Joel Edmundson is called fro cross checking less than a minute after DeBrincat tied the game. After the Kings managed to shut down Detroit's first unit, the second unit stepped on and put the Wings ahead. Marco Kasper scored his first of the game with a terrific tip-in off of an Axel Sandin-Pellikka shot from the point. The Kings inability to stay disciplined hurts them as they entered third period down 2-1 in the blink of an eye.
The third period began and the Kings had multiple chances, including two early power plays where they failed to take advantage. Detroit and LA traded chances for the first 15 minutes before anything changed on the scoreboard. Until then, both Talbot and Kuemper stood tall in their creases keeping it a one score game.
With 5:15 remaining, the Red Wings hit the Kings with the dagger, or so it seemed at the time. Kasper buried his second goal of the game to give Detroit a massive 3-1 lead late in the third. LA was caught sleeping on the rush while DeBrincat, Mason Appleton, and Kasper pulled off a beautiful tic-tac-toe type of play. Things were looking bleak for the Kings. That was until a hero emerged to save the day.
Not Adrian Kempe. Not Anze Kopitar. Not Kevin Fiala. It was 40-year-old Corey Perry who willed the Kings to overtime with two goals in 40 seconds to tie the game at 3-3.
Perry returns to California and all of sudden he thinks it's 2010-11 again. 'The Worm' cut the lead in half after he buried the rebound off a Brian Dumoulin point shot. HIs second goal came from almost the exact same spot on the ice, this time he deflected Quinton Byfield's shot from the slot to beat Talbot. Perry now has five goals and seven points through his first six games as a King. Accounting for his games missed to start the year, Corey Perry is on pace for 63 goals and 88 points.
The game went to overtime and it seemed like there was no way the Kings were going to lose after gaining every ounce of momentum.
Los Angeles used that momentum as they dominated the extra frame. LA outshot Detroit 6-0 in the extra period and even had a chance on the power play after Simon Edvinsson was called for slashing over halfway into the period.
KINGS WIN! Or so we thought. Kevin Fiala seemingly won the game for the Kings with about 40 seconds remaining. Fiala buried a loose puck past Talbot but after review, it was evident the Kings winger was in the crease and made contact with the Wings goaltender, meaning the game must continue. This game would need a shootout.
Detroit got the best of LA in the shootout. Raymond scored the lone goal in the first round, while Kempe, Perry, and Fiala each failed to get one by Talbot.
An incredible comeback effort by the Kings that fell short due to an unfortunate call that didn't go their way. Say what you want about the call but it's up to the players on the ice to play through it, and Detroit did that.
Catch the Kings (5-3-4) next on Saturday, November when they host the New Jersey Devils (8-3-0) at 6:00 PM PT/9:00 PM ET.

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