ANAHEIM, California – In a decisive third period, Adrian Kempe, Alex Laferriere, Kevin Fiala, and Mikey Anderson each found the back of the net, leading the Los Angeles Kings to a 4-1 victory over the Anaheim Ducks on Sunday.
Vladislav Gavrikov provided a boost for Los Angeles with two assists, and goaltender David Rittich made 15 saves to secure the win.
The Ducks’ Ryan Strome managed to score with just 1:46 left in the game, pulling Anaheim within a goal. However, Fiala and Anderson quickly sealed the game with empty-net goals just 31 seconds apart.
Anaheim’s Lukas Dostal was busy in net, finishing with 34 saves despite the loss.
The scoring drought was finally broken at 3:06 of the third period when Kempe capitalized on a beautiful pass from Anze Kopitar. He outmaneuvered a defender and slipped the puck through Dostal’s legs.
Around five minutes later, Laferriere intercepted a pass from Anaheim defenseman Jackson Lacombe and quickly shot it past Dostal’s blocker to extend the Kings’ lead.
The Kings’ performance was noteworthy, as they raised their game after an evenly contested first period. They outshot the Ducks 33-10 over the last two periods and effectively stifled any offensive momentum from Anaheim.
Meanwhile, Anaheim faced challenges on the offensive front, experiencing their toughest outing of the season. After scoring 11 goals in their first four games and averaging over 20 shots on goal, the Ducks struggled to create scoring opportunities against the Kings, only finding success in the last moments of the match.
A pivotal moment occurred when Strome’s goal trimmed the Ducks’ deficit to 2-1, igniting hopes for a comeback; however, Fiala quickly extinguished those dreams with a backhand shot into the empty net 1:07 before the final buzzer.
Statistically, the Kings have now triumphed in 10 of their last 11 encounters with the Ducks, dating back to February 25, 2022.
Looking ahead, the Kings are set to conclude their seven-game road trip with a matchup against the Vegas Golden Knights on Tuesday, while the Ducks prepare to host the San Jose Sharks.