Adrian Kempe scored his 17th goal of the season early in the first period. Phillip Danault added two more as the Los Angeles Kings defeated the Seattle Kraken 3-1 on Saturday night, marking their fourth consecutive win.
Los Angeles secured its sixth win in the last seven games, quickly jumping to a 2-0 lead while maintaining a strong defensive effort.
“They surprised us a bit with how hard they played and how well they executed,” Danault said. “It was a tough game, but we battled well and scored some crucial goals.”
The Kraken suffered their ninth straight loss and have dropped 12 of their last 13 games. Marcus Johansson scored on a power play in the second period, but Seattle managed just 18 shots on goal against Kings goalie Cal Petersen.
Petersen, who won his fourth consecutive start, made several important saves despite facing Seattle’s second-lowest shot total of the season.
Chris Driedger made 19 saves for Seattle but lost his second straight start after playing in Thursday’s 2-1 loss to St. Louis.
“Something needs to change. Losing nine in a row is unacceptable,” Driedger said. “There’s no other way to put it.”
Kempe opened the scoring just 4:06 into the game, capitalizing on the rebound of Alex Iafallo’s shot. After maneuvering around Driedger, Kempe scored his career-high 17th goal of the season. The 25-year-old has been on a hot streak, scoring four goals in the past six games.
“He’s a great example of being patient with development,” said Los Angeles coach Todd McLellan. “There were times when things weren’t going well, but we stuck with him, and he stuck with us. Over time, he just kept getting better.”
The Kings extended their lead to 2-0 early in the second period when Danault scored off a rebound. Driedger saved Mikey Anderson’s initial shot, but Danault knocked the rebound past him. Danault later added an empty-net goal in the final minute, bringing his total to nine goals in 36 games this season after scoring just five in 53 games last season with Montreal.
“When you play well defensively, the offense comes naturally,” Danault said. “It was a good grind, but we scored some solid goals.”
Seattle responded with a power-play goal after Matt Roy was penalized for high-sticking. Johansson, who had been denied on a breakaway earlier in the period, scored his fourth goal of the season, with three coming on the power play. Mark Giordano’s shot from the point was tipped by Calle Jarnkrok, allowing Johansson to finish the play.
The Kraken nearly tied the game late in the second period when Ryan Donato’s shot appeared to beat Andersen, briefly triggering the goal horn. However, a video review revealed that the shot hit Andersen’s shoulder and the crossbar before staying out.
“It’s tough to keep losing when you’re in a stretch like this,” said Seattle coach Dave Hakstol. “But we have to look at ourselves and find a way to get more out of our group.”
Game Notes
Los Angeles forwards Samuel Fagemo and defenseman Jacob Moverare were called up from the taxi squad but were scratched for the game. … Seattle forward Morgan Geekie missed his third straight game with an upper-body injury. The Kraken also scratched defensemen Will Borgen and Haydn Fleury. … Seattle debuted a new 4 ½ minute pregame introduction featuring flashy lights, water-themed images projected on the ice, and a menacing eye displayed on one end of the arena.
UP NEXT
- Kings: Visit San Jose on Monday.
- Kraken: Host Chicago on Monday.
