The Los Angeles Kings mounted an impressive third-period comeback to defeat the Florida Panthers 2-1 on Wednesday night at Crypto.com Arena. Samuel Helenius and Adrian Kempe scored crucial goals in the final frame, while goaltender Darcy Kuemper delivered a stellar performance with 26 saves to help snap the Kings’ two-game skid.
The Kings, who have struggled offensively in recent games, were held to two goals or fewer for the seventh time in eight outings. However, the team broke through in the third period after trailing 1-0 for much of the game.
Samuel Helenius tied the game at 6:41 of the third, scoring his first NHL goal in a pivotal moment. Tanner Jeannot’s tenacious effort kept a loose rebound alive in front of Panthers goaltender Spencer Knight, allowing Helenius to fire the puck into an open net and electrify the home crowd.
Adrian Kempe then provided the game-winner with just under seven minutes remaining. Continuing his hot streak, Kempe scored for the fourth straight game by deflecting Kevin Fiala’s shot past Knight.
Darcy Kuemper was a key figure in the Kings’ victory, stopping 26 shots and keeping the Panthers at bay throughout the contest. Florida’s Spencer Knight also made 26 saves, but the Panthers couldn’t capitalize on their early lead.
Florida’s Evan Rodrigues opened the scoring with a power-play goal in the first period, beating Kuemper on a well-placed shot. The Panthers carried a 1-0 lead into the third period but were unable to close out the game, falling to 18-2-0 when leading after two periods.
Panthers: Florida showed signs of fatigue after playing the second leg of a back-to-back following their 5-2 win over Anaheim on Tuesday. The Panthers struggled to maintain energy, particularly in the third period, as the Kings turned up the pressure. With two days off before their next game, Florida will look to regroup.
Kings: Despite playing limited minutes, Helenius made the most of his opportunity, scoring his first career NHL goal in his 25th game. The goal sparked a momentum shift for Los Angeles, which dominated the third period. The Kings will now aim to carry this energy into their upcoming five-game road trip.
Tanner Jeannot’s aggressive play on Jordan Spence’s rebound set up Helenius’ game-tying goal. Jeannot’s hustle kept the play alive, allowing Helenius to capitalize and swing the game’s momentum in the Kings’ favor.
The Panthers’ struggles to protect leads continued, as they fell to 18-2-0 when leading after two periods. Florida also suffered its sixth loss in 26 games when scoring the first goal.
The Panthers will visit the San Jose Sharks on Saturday, while the Kings travel to Columbus to face the Blue Jackets in the first game of a five-game road trip.