Kings Beat Hurricanes 7-2

The Los Angeles Kings (38-21-9) are back home as they faced the Carolina Hurricanes (42-23-4) on Saturday afternoon at Crypto.com Arena. David Rittich manned his net while Pyotr Kochetkov prepared to defend the net for the Hurricanes. Today’s game was crucial for them to secure 2 points with playoffs around the corner.  As every point mattered, the weight of the season rested on each play. 

First Period Action

The first period was underway and within 4 minutes of play, Adrian Kempe scored a snap shot into Kochetkov's goal, putting the Kings up 1-0 early in the frame. The Hurricanes, forced to adjust their strategy, called a timeout to regroup and reassess. Anže Kopitar scored his seventh, assisted by Andrei Kuzmenko and Drew Doughty at 5:21, and Kuzmenko capped the first period with his first Kings goal, a snap shot with only four seconds remaining. Los Angeles led 3-0 at intermission, after a strong final play.

Kings Lead 6-0

The Kings' efficiency was on full display in the second period, as they capitalized on their seven shots with three goals, while Carolina's 14 shots yielded nothing. Trevor Moore's wrist shot at 14:02 solidified the Kings' dominance, pushing the score to 4-0. The Kings displayed agility and strength, effectively blocking shots and maintained control of their zone. At 13:12, Tanner Jeannot scored a wrist shot, extending the Kings' lead to 5-0. The Hurricanes struggled to adapt their strategy, failing to counter the Kings' momentum. Quinton Byfield's goal at 11:19, his eighteenth of the season, further solidified the Kings' advantage, bringing the score to 6-0. With ten minutes remaining, the Kings displayed remarkable adaptability, scoring six goals on just eleven shots, while the Hurricanes remained scoreless despite producing seventeen shot attempts. Los Angeles demonstrated superior puck possession and precise passing, maintaining offensive control and Rittich made several key saves, preserving the Kings' shutout. Carolina finally broke through at 5:43 with a tip-in goal by Logan Stankoven. The Kings then challenged for goaltender interference, but the challenge was unsuccessful, resulting in a penalty for LA. 

The Final Stretch 

Early in the third period, a collision between Seth Jarvis and Warren Foegele resulted in Jarvis requiring medical assistance to leave the ice. As the period wound down, Kevin Fiala unleashed a powerful slap shot. Moments later, Mark Jankowski added a goal, making the final score 7-2.