LOS ANGELES — In a thrilling overtime finish on Saturday night, Quinton Byfield unleashed a wrist shot just 27 seconds into the extra period, securing a 2-1 victory for the Los Angeles Kings over the St. Louis Blues. Byfield’s decisive 13th goal of the season was made possible by a turnover forced by Adrian Kempe, allowing him to find the back of the net from the left circle. This win was pivotal for the Kings, ending a worrisome five-game losing streak.
Kings captain Anze Kopitar also put his name on the scoresheet with a goal, while goaltender Darcy Kuemper was solid between the pipes, making 19 key saves. This victory marked Los Angeles’ progress against St. Louis, having won one of their last three encounters against them over a span of eight days.
St. Louis Blues’ Nick Leddy found the net with a well-aimed slap shot in the third period, his first goal of the season, tying the game after Kopitar’s initial goal late in the first period. Joel Hofer, guarding the Blues’ net, registered 21 saves, helping his team claim a point, which is vital as they aim to enter the wild-card race, having earned a point in 11 of their past 13 games.
During the third period, Hofer was instrumental in keeping the game tied by stopping all 12 shots he faced, including threatening attempts from Byfield and Alex Laferriere. Despite Los Angeles debuting newly acquired Andrei Kuzmenko from the Philadelphia trade, the team’s power play woes continued, as they failed to convert in their two opportunities.
A significant moment came early in overtime when Kempe executed timely pressure to strip Dylan Holloway of the puck, allowing Byfield to capitalize on the moment to secure the Kings’ win. Statistically significant, the pairing of Kopitar and defenseman Drew Doughty collaborated on a goal for the 307th time, equaling the record of Sidney Crosby and Kris Letang for the second-most prolific forward-defenseman pairing in NHL history.
Looking ahead, the St. Louis Blues are set to face the Pittsburgh Penguins on Thursday night. Meanwhile, the Los Angeles Kings will complete their back-to-back schedule with a game against the Vegas Golden Knights on Sunday.
