LOS ANGELES — On Saturday night, the Los Angeles Kings claimed a 5-3 victory against Utah, with Drew Doughty leading the charge with a goal and two assists.
Alongside Doughty, Kevin Fiala, Alex Laferriere, Trevor Lewis, and Mikey Anderson also contributed goals to the Kings’ impressive performance, boosting their home record to 18 wins, 3 losses, and 2 overtime losses. Darcy Kuemper showcased his skills in goal, making 25 critical saves to secure the win.
Utah’s Barrett Hayton stood out by scoring three goals, marking his first career hat trick. The team was eager for their fourth victory in five games but fell short despite his effort. Connor Ingram was in goal for Utah, recording 21 saves during the game.
Doughty returned to the ice after recovering from an ankle injury that had kept him out at the beginning of the season. He recently played for Team Canada in the 4 Nations Face-off and quickly made an impact, leveling the game at 1-1 less than a minute after Hayton had scored first. Doughty also assisted on Fiala’s power-play goal and helped Laferriere find the back of the net late in the second period, marking his 16th career game with at least three points.
Doughty’s impressive performance dimmed Hayton’s inaugural game featuring multiple power-play goals, adding another layer to the competition.
In terms of team updates, Utah welcomed back defenseman Sean Durzi from a long absence of 52 games following shoulder surgery. For the Kings, Anderson made his return to the lineup after overcoming a hand injury that had sidelined him for four games prior to the break, sealing the match with an empty-net goal with 1:30 remaining.
A pivotal moment came when Lewis found himself in the slot, converting a rebound off Jordan Spence’s shot and scoring through Ingram’s legs, giving Los Angeles a temporary 4-2 lead.
In terms of stats, the Kings have played the fewest home games in the league at 23 and have maintained an impressive average of just 2.22 goals allowed per game in those contests.
Looking ahead, Utah will host Vancouver on Sunday, while the Kings prepare to face off against Vegas on Monday.
