ST. PAUL, Minn. — In an exciting showdown on Tuesday night, the Los Angeles Kings secured a convincing 5-1 victory over the Minnesota Wild, with Trevor Lewis netting two goals and Kevin Fiala adding a power-play goal. This match marked the Kings’ second game in as many nights following their 3-0 triumph in Nashville a night prior. Kings’ goaltender David Rittich made a solid contribution by stopping 23 shots.

Fiala, who made the move to Los Angeles from Minnesota in 2022, showcased his skills by scoring his seventh goal for the season. Notably, he has been particularly effective against his former team recently, with a total of three goals and six assists in his last seven encounters with the Wild.

The Wild, who entered the game riding a three-match winning streak, initially took the lead in the second period when Zach Bogosian scored his first goal of the season. On the other end, Filip Gustavsson defended the Wild’s goal, making 22 saves throughout the match.

The performance by the Kings was exceptional, as they emerged victorious on the back end of back-to-back games, bringing their winning total to five out of seven recent contests. With 19 points to their name, the Kings now sit at the top of the Pacific Division, and their record improved to 7-2-1 following a shaky start to the season, which included a 1-1-2 record.

For Minnesota, this match marked an unusual setback, as it was the first game this season where they couldn’t hold onto an early lead. The Wild started strong, having scored first nine times in their last eleven games; however, they now find themselves at a record of 6-0-3 in those situations.

A pivotal moment came during the second period when Fiala scored the go-ahead goal after a quick sequence of events. Alex Laferriere played a critical role by centering the puck perfectly to Fiala, who fired a one-timer past Gustavsson, which shifted the momentum in favor of the Kings.

A noteworthy statistic from the game showed the decline in Minnesota’s power-play efficiency. Entering the match with a commendable 22.2% conversion rate, the Wild failed to capitalize on four power-play opportunities and have now gone 0 for 14 over their last four games.

Looking ahead, the Kings are scheduled to host the Vancouver Canucks on Thursday, while the Wild will be traveling to San Jose for their next matchup the same day.