Quinton Byfield scored the game-winning goal 27 seconds into overtime for the Los Angeles Kings, who snapped a five-game losing streak with a 2-1 win over the visiting St. Louis Blues on Saturday.
Anze Kopitar scored for the Kings off assists from Drew Doughty and Mikey Anderson, whose stickwork prevented the Blues from scoring less than a minute into the game. Adrian Kempe assisted on Byfield’s second overtime goal of the season, and Darcy Kuemper stopped 19 shots.
Nick Leddy, who missed 45 games because of a lower-body injury, registered his first goal of the season. Jake Neighbours and Zachary Bolduc earned assists. Joel Hofer made 21 saves.
In a tightly contested game, Byfield got the second point for the Kings by fighting off Dylan Holloway and Robert Thomas to gain control of the puck at the blueline. He darted toward Hofer, and his snap shot from the left circle hit the top of the net.
Kopitar gave the Kings the first lead with 5:25 remaining in the opening period. The captain’s deflection of Doughty’s shot from the point knuckled over Hofer.
It was the 307th goal involving Kopitar and Doughty. With that, they passed Bobby Orr and Phil Esposito and are now tied with Sidney Crosby and Kris Letang for the second-most by a forward-defenseman pair in league history. Wayne Gretzky and Paul Coffey, both of whom spent time with the Kings, hold the record with 350.
Leddy tied the game with an 86.1-mile-an-hour blast from the right point that flew past Kuemper, whom Bolduc screened. It rang in off the glove side post to give the veteran blueliner his first goal since Jan. 28, 2024, which also came against the Kings.
Saturday marked the Kings’ debut of Andrei Kuzmenko. The Russian forward acquired Friday from the Philadelphia Flyers skated with Kopitar and Adrian Kempe on the team’s top line. He did not have a shot on goal, but he attempted three in the third period, one of which clanged off the post.
The Blues played without defenseman Cam Fowler, who missed the game as his wife delivered the couple’s second child earlier in the day.
–Field Level Media
