LOS ANGELES — Quinton Byfield continued his impressive streak, finding the back of the net for the seventh consecutive home game, as the Los Angeles Kings triumphed over the Boston Bruins with a 7-2 victory on Sunday night. This win allowed the Kings to establish a franchise record with their 14th straight home game without a regulation defeat.
Anze Kopitar, Warren Foegele, Andrei Kuzmenko, Drew Doughty, Tanner Jeannot, and Samuel Helenius also contributed goals, marking six consecutive home victories for the Kings. Goaltender Darcy Kuemper was solid with 11 saves, extending his home streak to 13-0-1 over the last 14 performances.
Elias Lindholm and Morgan Geekie were the goal scorers for the Bruins, and Jeremy Swayman managed 16 saves. However, Boston’s losing streak reached six games, further diminishing their playoff chances.
The encounter began poorly for Los Angeles, surrendering a goal just 19 seconds into the match. However, they regained momentum especially in the second period, thanks to goals from Drew Doughty and Andrei Kuzmenko.
Currently standing at 25-3-4 at home, the Kings are riding an impressive stretch with 11 wins and three overtime losses. They are just two victories away from setting a new franchise record for most home wins in a season, with nine games left.
Takeaways: For the Bruins, Morgan Geekie has been a rare highlight in a challenging season, scoring 25 goals, his best tally in six NHL seasons. On the Kings’ side, Byfield enters an esteemed group, becoming just the sixth Los Angeles player to score in at least seven consecutive home games, joining the likes of Luc Robitaille, Jari Kurri, Jeff Carter, Marcel Dionne, and Charlie Simmer.
A highlight of the night was the tense moment between Kuemper and Swayman after Kuemper reacted strongly towards Marat Khusnutdinov breaching his crease late in the second period. Both teams and spectators anticipated a fight, but officials separated the players, dousing the confrontation.
An important stat: Warren Foegele netted his 100th career goal in his 500th NHL appearance. All 20 of his goals this season for Los Angeles have come during even-strength play.
Looking ahead, the Bruins will travel to face Anaheim on Wednesday, while the Kings prepare to host the New York Rangers on Tuesday.