SEATTLE — In a thrilling matchup at Climate Pledge Arena, the Los Angeles Kings defeated the Seattle Kraken 6-5, tying a franchise record for most wins and points in a single season on April 15, 2025. This victory marks the Kings' 48th win of the season, matching their record set in the 2015-16 season when they finished with 48 wins and 105 points.
The Kings started strong, with rookie forward Samuel Helenius opening the scoring more than 15 minutes into the first period. Helenius redirected a pass from defenseman Vladislav Gavrikov into the net, marking his third goal of the season. Just over a minute later, forward Alex Turcotte doubled the lead with a power-play goal, his ninth of the season, putting the Kings ahead 2-0.
However, the Kraken responded early in the second period when forward Tye Kartye scored a shorthanded goal, cutting the deficit to 2-1. Kartye managed to break away down the right wing and beat Kings goaltender David Rittich on the glove side, marking his sixth goal of the season.
Seattle continued to build momentum, tying the game midway through the second period. Defenseman Brandon Montour scored with a powerful one-timer after receiving a feed from Andre Burakovsky, marking Montour's 18th goal of the season. With this goal, Montour climbed into fourth place in the NHL for goals scored by defensemen this season.
Just before the end of the second period, the Kings regained their lead. Forward Warren Foegele scored his 24th goal of the season, putting the Kings ahead 3-2. Foegele's goal came after a slick play by Phillip Danault, who maneuvered the puck down the wall before assisting on the goal. Less than a minute later, Alex Laferriere extended the lead to 4-2, scoring his 19th goal of the season after pouncing on a rebound.
The Kings continued their offensive onslaught into the third period. Adrian Kempe scored his 35th goal, tying him with Fiala for the team lead, before Helenius struck again, marking his first career multi-point game with his second goal of the night. This put the Kings ahead 6-2, seemingly putting the game out of reach.
However, the Kraken weren't done yet. Jaden Schwartz scored his 26th goal of the season just over five minutes into the third period, bringing Seattle back to 6-3. The Kraken then scored twice more late in the game, both on power plays, to close the gap to 6-5. Matty Beniers and Eeli Tolvanen found the net in the final minutes, but it wasn't enough to overcome the Kings' lead.
Despite the Kraken's late surge, the Kings held on for the victory. Rittich made 29 saves in the contest, improving his record to 16-13-2 this season. The Kings finished the game with 14 shots on goal in the first two periods, demonstrating their efficiency on the offensive end.
After the game, Helenius expressed his excitement about his performance, stating, "I was pretty pumped to play with those guys, they’re great players. It was nice being out there with them. I thought we made a lot of plays, that was a lot of fun." Turcotte also reflected on the game, highlighting the chemistry they built on the ice: "I was hoping he was going to get the hat trick, obviously, but yeah, he played great. He’s a great guy, great teammate and to see him get two, it was awesome to see."
Head Coach Jim Hiller praised the team's effort, saying, "This was as tough as a back to back I think I’ve had since I’ve been in the league. We needed something, and those two guys gave us a real good spark, it was good to see." He also acknowledged the significance of tying the franchise record for wins, stating, "Players, the fans, the whole franchise, top to bottom, should be proud of that. Not an easy thing to do. When was the last time? [1974-75]. Well, that tells you how easy that is."
The Kings now head into their final regular-season game against the Calgary Flames, looking to build on their momentum as they prepare for the playoffs. The Kraken, on the other hand, concluded their season with a disappointing record, finishing with fewer than 20 home victories for the second consecutive year.
With the victory, the Kings have solidified their position as the No. 2 seed in the Pacific Division and will have home-ice advantage in the first round of the playoffs against the Edmonton Oilers, who secured the No. 3 seed. The Kings are riding a four-game winning streak and are eager to carry this momentum into the postseason.
As the Kings look ahead, fans are hopeful that this season will mark a return to form for the franchise, with their eyes set on a deep playoff run. The excitement is palpable as the team prepares to take the ice once more, aiming to make history in the upcoming weeks.
