Golden Knights vs. Kings | Game Recap
Quinton Byfield delivered a career-best performance with four assists, propelling the Los Angeles Kings to a thrilling 5-2 comeback win over the Vegas Golden Knights at Crypto.com Arena on Monday night.
The Kings, now 31-17-7, extended their impressive run to six games without a regulation loss (5-0-1). Trevor Moore led the scoring charge with two goals, while Warren Foegele contributed a goal and an assist. Adrian Kempe also played a crucial role with two assists. Goaltender Darcy Kuemper stood strong between the pipes, making 19 saves to secure the win.
On the other side, the Golden Knights (34-18-6) saw their three-game winning streak snapped. Brayden McNabb and Mark Stone found the back of the net for Vegas, while goalie Ilya Samsonov managed 14 saves but couldn't withstand the Kings’ relentless third-period surge.
Kings Ignite in the Third Period to Secure Victory
Trailing 2-1 entering the final frame, the Kings wasted no time flipping the script. Just 42 seconds in, Moore capitalized on a defensive lapse by Vegas, seizing the puck after Alex Pietrangelo failed to keep it in the offensive zone. Moore then raced down on a two-on-one break, firing a pinpoint shot past Samsonov from the left circle to even the score at 2-2.
The Kings continued their momentum as Byfield showcased his playmaking skills. At 8:31, he set up Foegele with a slick backhand pass across the crease, allowing Foegele to lift the puck over a sprawled Samsonov for a 3-2 lead.
Los Angeles refused to ease up. At 15:28, defenseman Joel Edmundson blasted a one-timer from the left point off a Kempe pass, extending the lead to 4-2. The Kings sealed the deal at 17:41 when Kempe connected with Kevin Fiala, who backhanded a shot into the net for the final 5-2 scoreline.
Early Lead and Momentum Shifts
The Kings struck first at 10:30 of the opening period, when Moore redirected Byfield’s shot past Samsonov for his first power-play goal of the season. However, Vegas answered back in the second period. McNabb capitalized on a cross-slot pass from Tomas Hertl at 10:26, firing a wrist shot through traffic to tie the game 1-1.
Stone then gave the Golden Knights a brief 2-1 advantage at 16:41, deflecting Noah Hanifin’s slap shot past Kuemper. But their lead was short-lived, as the Kings’ explosive third-period performance turned the tide decisively.
