VANCOUVER, British Columbia — In an impressive display of skill, Alex Turcotte emerged as a standout player for the Los Angeles Kings, scoring two goals and providing an assist within the first ten minutes of their game against the Vancouver Canucks, leading the Kings to a decisive 5-1 victory on Thursday night.
Alongside Turcotte, Adrian Kempe and Kevin Fiala each contributed a goal and an assist, while Warren Foegele also found the net for Los Angeles, who improved their record to 25 wins, 12 losses, and 5 overtime losses this season.
Turcotte wasted little time making an impact; he netted his first goal just 51 seconds into the match. By the time the first period was halfway complete, he had already played a pivotal role in establishing a commanding 3-0 lead for the Kings.
The lone goal for Vancouver, now at 19 wins, 15 losses, and 10 overtime losses, came from Quinn Hughes, who scored with a long-range shot during a 4-on-4 matchup at the 14:52 mark of the second period.
In goal, Kings’ Darcy Kuemper successfully turned away 20 shots, while Canucks’ Thatcher Demko recorded 16 saves, but it wasn’t enough to turn the tide for Vancouver.
With this loss, the Canucks have now dropped six of their last seven games, causing them to lose ground in the chase for the second wild-card spot in the Western Conference.
### Observations
**Kings:** This match marked the eighth occasion this season where the Kings registered five or more goals. For Turcotte, this was particularly special as it represented the first multi-goal game of his young career.
**Canucks:** The team’s power play, once a formidable asset, has seen a significant downturn. They struggled yet again, going 0 for 5 with the man advantage, and have not converted on any of their last 10 opportunities across four games.
### Moment to Remember
One of the defining plays occurred when Turcotte set up the Kings’ second goal with a remarkable behind-the-back pass to Kempe. Positioned below the goal line, Turcotte facilitated a smooth play that saw Kempe slide the puck past Demko and extend the lead to 3-0 at 9:42 of the first period.
### Noteworthy Statistic
Vancouver has unfortunately allowed five or more goals in 12 out of their 44 games this season, indicating a struggle on the defensive end.
### Looking Ahead
The Kings will be looking to maintain momentum as they prepare to take on the Seattle Kraken in their next outing on Saturday. Meanwhile, the Canucks are set to continue their three-game homestand against the Edmonton Oilers, also scheduled for Saturday.
