LOS ANGELES — In a thrilling matchup on Saturday, Joel Edmundson netted two goals, while Brandt Clarke contributed with a goal and an assist, leading the Los Angeles Kings to a 3-2 victory over Utah.

Edmundson, who was brought in during free agency to enhance the physical presence on the defensive line, showcased his offensive prowess by achieving his first multi-goal game in his career. In the second period, he found himself in front of the net, tapping in a pass from Anze Kopitar to extend the lead to 2-0. Later, he increased the margin to 3-1 early in the third period with a shot from the blue line that went through a crowd.

Darcy Kuemper was solid in goal, making 23 saves for the win in his first start in almost two weeks, returning from a lower-body injury. For Utah, Clayton Keller and Logan Cooley managed to score, but it wasn’t enough as they faced their third consecutive defeat.

In notable takeaways, Nick Bjugstad made his debut with Utah after missing the initial eight games of the season due to a back injury. Last season, he tallied 22 goals and 23 assists while playing for Arizona, indicating he could be a significant asset moving forward.

For the Kings, Kevin Fiala found himself benched for the last 4:05 of the second period and the entire third after incurring his second penalty, which allowed Keller to score his fifth goal. Coach Jim Hiller had previously indicated that any player who continued to make unnecessary infractions would see their ice time affected.

A key highlight of the game was Kopitar’s assist, which marked his 1,220th career point, moving him past Jean Béliveau (1,219) into 45th place on the NHL’s all-time scoring list.

Looking ahead, Utah will host the San Jose Sharks on Monday, while the Kings are scheduled to face the Sharks on Tuesday.