The LA Kings improved to 3-0-0 on their current trip and 8-1-2 on the road this season following a 4-3 overtime victory over the Toronto Maple Leafs on Thursday evening at Scotiabank Arena in Ontario.
Just over eight minutes into the game, Toronto opened the scoring through forward Bobby McMann. Kings forward Adrian Kempe wasn’t able to get a shot off just inside the offensive blueline, which sent McMann the other way in transition with speed. He kept the puck himself and while goaltender Darcy Kuemper got a piece of it, the puck trickled over the line and in for the game-opening goal.
Inside the final four minutes of the opening period, the Maple Leafs made it 2-0. Defenseman Brian Dumoulin took a stick to the face in the corner and as he was still getting back into the play, Toronto defenseman Oliver Ekman-Larsson fed forward John Tavares in front, where he cashed in his team-leading tenth goal of the season for a two-goal advantage at the first intermission.
The Kings got on the board midway through the second period, as forward Warren Foegele made it consecutive games with a goal. Foegele took a pass from defenseman Drew Doughty, worked his way into the left-hand circle and beat Toronto goaltender Dennis Hildeby on the glove side for his third goal of the season, bringing the visitors within 2-1.
For the third straight game, forward Kevin Fiala found the back of the net, as he pulled the Kings level late in the second period. Fiala started the play at the point and after his initial shot from the slot was blocked down, he worked his way to the net, got on the end of a pass from forward Quinton Byfield and scored off a broken play. Fiala’s goal was his team-leading ninth of the season, tying the game at two in the process.
95 seconds after Fiala tied the game, however, Toronto restored its lead as Tavares scored his second goal of the game to put the Maple Leafs ahead 3-2 through 40 minutes of play. Tavares found himself uncovered in front of the net and after he took a feed from forward William Nylander, he deked to the backhand, around Kuemper, and buried the go-ahead goal.
After an entire period of pushing for the tying goal, the Kings finally got their reward as forward Alex Laferriere equalized the game at three apiece. Off an extended shift in the offensive zone, defenseman Brandt Clarke got a shot through from the top of the right-hand circle, which Laferriere deflected past Hildeby and in for his fourth goal of the season, as they game progressed into overtime.
On the first shift of the extra session, Byfield made it a multi-point game as he buried the game-winning goal. The Kings won the opening faceoff and never looked back, as defenseman Drew doughty fed Byfield in his wheelhouse and the latter fired home his second goal in as many games to secure the two points on the road.
Hear from Byfield, Laferriere and Head Coach Jim Hiller after tonight’s victory.
