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Commentator Daryl Evans prior to a NHL hockey game between the Kings and the Toronto Maple Leafs at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles on Saturday, March 29, 2025. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Orange County Register/ SCNG)
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Commentator Daryl Evans prior to a NHL hockey game between the Kings and the Toronto Maple Leafs at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles on Saturday, March 29, 2025. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Orange County Register/ SCNG)
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LOS ANGELES — The Kings put their NHL-best records at home and on Saturdays on the line but fell short, 3-1, to the Toronto Maple Leafs at Crypto.com Arena on Saturday evening.
Alex Laferriere scored the game’s first goal and its only one for the Kings. Darcy Kuemper made 23 of 25 saves, saddling him with just his second regulation loss at home this season.
Auston Matthews deposited a goal and assisted on John Tavares’ game-winner, giving both men who wore the captain’s “C” for Toronto in their careers a goal on Saturday. Tavares tacked on an empty-netter. Anthony Stolarz negated 35 of 36 bids.
The Kings are now 14-11-0 against the other 11 teams in a non-wild-card playoff position this season, but this was their first home loss to another contender, having gone 11-0 against those opponents to this point. It was also their first regulation loss when holding a lead at the second intermission, owning a 28-0-2 mark in 30 prior instances.
“Every loss is frustrating, but going into the third with a lead and then kind of shooting ourselves in the foot there, giving them too many opportunities, kind of sucks,” Laferriere said.
Toronto hopped back into first place in the Atlantic Division, leapfrogging both Tampa Bay and Florida with the win.
The substantial visiting contingent on hand was delighted with 1:25 to play when Mitch Marner’s skyhook of a clearing attempt seemed to flummox Kings captain Anže Kopitar. He lost sight of the puck in the air and allowed it to land in a spot where Tavares could collect it cleanly and score into the vacated cage. Tavares has eight goals and 13 points during his six-game scoring streak.
“Since the 4 Nations [Face-Off], there’s been a little extra pop in his step. He’s a big-time player,” Matthews said of Tavares and his 24 points in 18 games since the pause, which equal the total of linemate William Nylander.
With 7:56 to play, Toronto took its first lead of the contest and stayed up for good after Tavares’ power-play goal at the back post, meaning the Kings allowed a goal four-on-three, four-on-five and six-on-five, but none at even strength.
“They’ve got skill everywhere. You don’t want to give them those looks,” Mikey Anderson said. “I think we, for the most part, did a pretty good job, but they found a way to score and, ultimately, that was the difference.”
Early in the third period, the Kings’ patient effort was in peril after their one-goal lead was erased. Kopitar’s turnover led to Matthews’ shorthanded breakaway, which saw his weak backhand attempt cast aside by Kuemper. But Matthews recovered the puck, passed it to Jake McCabe, got it back and blew past Kevin Fiala to score on Kuemper as Kopitar looked on. Per betting analyst Jonathan Davis, it was Matthews’ fifth goal in seven games against Kuemper.
The Kings took their timeout to get a better look at the play and then challenged the goal, alleging that Matthews played the puck with a high stick during the recovery. Though the replay indicated they had a strong case, the officials determined it was inconclusive, meaning the goal stood and the Kings would be assessed a penalty.
A tripping infraction on Drew Doughty 40 seconds later left the Kings to play four-on-three and then five-on-three, though Kuemper and his cohorts on the PK bailed them out to keep the game tied at one.
The game’s first goal came less than two minutes into the second period, the culmination of a strong push by the hosts.
After Philip Danault broke up a play in the neutral zone, Laferriere darted down the right-wing wall, driving to the net and turning a sharp angle for his forehand into an ideal one off his backhand. It was his 16th goal of the season, but his first in 18 games, having last scored Feb. 22. Each goal since his 12th has represented a career high.
“You could say (I felt relieved), but I wouldn’t score all year if it meant we won every single game,” Laferriere said.
The Kings drew the only penalty of the first period and mounted a shot advantage, while Toronto earned a bit higher quality chances in a mostly stride-for-stride opening salvo. Jeff Mallot also fought Brandon Carlo. The Kings held Toronto scoreless to remain firmly in first place in first-period goals allowed with 42, seven fewer than the next stingiest team, the Winnipeg Jets.
The Kings will be in action Sunday night against the San Jose Sharks, looking to nip their two-game slide in the bud, having lost to Colorado and Toronto by a combined count of 7-1.
“Everyone was happy, for the most part, with how the game went and how we played,” Anderson said. “So, we’ll try and build off of it, come in tomorrow, reset and go at it again.
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