The Vegas Golden Knights continue to prove why they’re one of the most resilient teams in the NHL, snatching a dramatic 3-2 overtime victory over the Los Angeles Kings on Wednesday night at Crypto.com Arena. For the Kings, who are desperately trying to cling to their postseason hopes in the Western Conference, it was another gut-wrenching loss on home ice—one that showcased both their grit and the razor-thin margins that define this year’s playoff race.
Coming into the contest, the Kings (19-16-11) knew the stakes couldn’t be higher. They’d just dropped a tough game to the Dallas Stars and, with the Pacific Division as tight as ever, every point mattered. The Golden Knights (22-11-12), meanwhile, were riding a hot streak, looking to extend their season-best winning run to five games. Both teams had plenty to play for, and the intensity was palpable from the opening faceoff.
The first period set the tone for a fierce divisional battle. The Kings dominated puck possession and outshot Vegas 9-5, but couldn’t solve Akira Schmid, who was sharp between the pipes for the Golden Knights. Schmid, who has stepped up admirably in the absence of Adin Hill, made key stops early and would finish with 22 saves on the night. As the horn sounded to end the first, the score remained deadlocked at 0-0, but the sense was that something had to give.
It didn’t take long in the second period for the Knights to flip the script. Coach Bruce Cassidy’s words in the locker room must have hit home, because Vegas came out flying. Just under four minutes in, rookie forward Braeden Bowman netted his sixth goal of the season—and his first in 18 games—capping a sequence that started with a Kings turnover. Jack Eichel, who was everywhere on the ice, pounced on the loose puck and found Bowman alone in front. Bowman waited out Kings goalie Darcy Kuemper and roofed it top shelf, giving Vegas a 1-0 lead and silencing the Los Angeles crowd.
The Knights’ relentless forecheck, which Cassidy has praised as a catalyst for their recent surge, overwhelmed the Kings throughout the second. Vegas fired five shots in the first 1:50 of the period, matching their total from the entire first frame. Still, Kuemper stood tall, finishing with 24 saves overall, and kept the Kings within striking distance. Both teams squandered power play opportunities late in the period, and after 40 minutes, Vegas led 1-0 and had outshot L.A. 19-17.
Down but not out, the Kings came out desperate in the third period, pushing hard for the equalizer. Their persistence finally paid off. Kevin Fiala, who’s been a bright spot all season, buried his team-leading 17th goal to tie the game 1-1. The play was a textbook example of second effort: Fiala’s initial shot was stopped, but Alex Turcotte corralled the rebound and fired again, only for the puck to land right back on Fiala’s stick. He made no mistake, rifling it past Schmid and igniting the arena. Turcotte and Andrei Kuzmenko picked up the assists on the play.
But the drama was just getting started. With the Kings surging, Adrian Kempe took a hooking penalty, sending Vegas to the power play. Just over 40 seconds into the man advantage, Mitch Marner—acquired in a blockbuster sign-and-trade last summer—ripped home his 11th goal of the year, restoring the Knights’ lead with a blistering wrist shot from the circle. For a moment, it seemed like Marner’s goal might be the dagger.
The Kings, however, refused to fold. With time winding down and Kuemper pulled for an extra attacker, Los Angeles pressed for the tying goal. The crowd roared as Brandt Clarke, the young defenseman, jammed home Adrian Kempe’s centering pass at the left post with just 1:27 remaining in regulation. Clarke’s fifth goal of the season sent the game to overtime and gave the Kings a precious point in the standings—their 11th “loser point” of the campaign, second only to Vegas’s 12.
Overtime, though, has not been kind to the Kings this season. And on this night, it was heartbreak once again. Just 25 seconds into the extra frame, Jack Eichel forced a turnover behind the Kings’ net, then—falling to the ice—somehow managed to slide the puck in front to Mark Stone. The Vegas captain, who’s been on a tear with eight goals in his last nine games and a 14-game point streak, made no mistake, firing into an open cage for his second overtime winner of the year. The Golden Knights bench erupted, and the Kings’ faithful could only watch as another valuable point slipped away.
"The Golden Knights recovered to win their season-best fifth straight after Brandt Clarke tied it at 2 for the Kings with 1:27 remaining in regulation," reported the Associated Press. Stone’s heroics extended Vegas’s point streak to nine games, and Schmid notched his third straight win, helping the Knights navigate Hill’s absence. Eichel, with three assists, was the engine driving the Vegas attack all night long.
For the Kings, the loss stings, but there are positives to build on. Fiala’s scoring touch and Clarke’s late-game heroics show that this team has fight left in them. Still, with four losses in their last five games and the playoff race tightening, coach Jim Hiller and his squad know they need to start stringing wins together—especially with a tough homestand continuing Friday against Anaheim.
On the other side, the Golden Knights are surging at just the right time. Their forecheck is relentless, their stars are producing, and they’re finding ways to win even when things get dicey. With Toronto coming to town for a marquee matchup on Thursday, Vegas will look to keep their momentum rolling—and perhaps, with Adin Hill set to return soon, get even stronger in goal.
As the regular season grinds on, this Pacific Division clash was a reminder of just how fine the line is between victory and defeat—and how every point can make all the difference come playoff time.
