FINAL – Kings 1, Maple Leafs 3 – Laferriere, Anderson, Hiller

The LA Kings dropped their second straight game, as they fell by a 3-1 final against the Toronto Maple Leafs on Saturday evening at Crypto.com Arena.

The first period had opportunities at both ends, but goaltenders Darcy Kuemper and Anthony Stolarz made 10 and 13 saves respectively to take the game into the first intermission at 0-0.

Less than two minutes into the second period, forward Alex Laferriere opened the scoring to put the hosts ahead 1-0. Laferriere took a pass from forward Phillip Danault, flew down the right wing along the wall, cut into the low slot on his backhand and scored from close range for his 16th goal of the season. With the assist, Danault extended his home point streak to four games.

Just 55 seconds into the third period, Toronto tied the game at one with a shorthanded goal from forward Auston Matthews. The goal was upheld after a lengthy review, with the Kings challenging that the puck was played by Matthews with a high stick in the build up to the goal. Eventually, the goal stood, with Matthews scoring from the right-hand circle for his 29th goal of the season and a 1-1 score.

Skating on a 4-on-3 man advantage, the Maple Leafs took their first lead of the game midway through the third period. The Kings nearly got the kill over the line, but forward John Tavares got on the end of a Matthews rebound just outside the crease and buried his shot past Kings goaltender Darcy Kuemper for his 34th goal of the season and a 2-1 lead for the visitors.

With 1:25 remaining in regulation, Tavares scored his second goal of the game, into the empty net, for the final score of 3-1.

Hear from Laferriere, defenseman Mikey Anderson and Head Coach Jim Hiller following tonight’s game.

Alex Laferriere
On the way the team played today, despite the outcome
You can look at that game and say that’s kind of a playoff style hockey game. I mean, it’s a team that’s up at the top of the leaderboard in the league, so it’s a team that we know that we can match up against and if a couple bounces go our way, we’re winning that game. Yeah, I think we stuck with it and obviously didn’t get the bounces we wanted, but we played well otherwise.

On giving up multiple two 4-on-3 situations against a top-end team like Toronto
If you look at their lineup, you know if they get a 5-on-3, they’re probably going to score. You definitely don’t want to give those guys much ice and giving them that much ice is detrimental.

On getting one to go tonight after going through a scoring drought offensively
Like I’ve been saying kind of throughout the whole thing, I’m just trying to go out there and contribute any way I can, whether it’s on the scoresheet and obviously it wasn’t on the scoresheet in that time, so, I have to contribute in other ways. That’s getting in on the forecheck and making it easier for my linemates to score. If I’m not putting the puck in the net, I’m just trying to make it easier for my linemates to [score].

On if this was one of the more frustrating losses, having led after 40 minutes
Yeah, you could say that. I mean, obviously every loss is frustrating but going into the third with the lead and kind of shooting ourselves in the foot there, giving them too many opportunities, kind of sucks. If we could go back to in between the second and third, we could probably say stay out of the box, so it’s definitely frustrating.

Mikey Anderson
On his takeaways from tonight’s game
Yeah, it was, I thought it was a good hockey game. Both teams, I thought, kept it pretty tight, but a couple bounces, couple mistakes, end up with the goal. What can you do.

On if it boiled down to one too many 4-on-3 or 5-on-4 situations tonight
Yeah, they’ve got skill everywhere, so you don’t want to give them those looks. We, even for the most part, did a pretty good job, but they found a way to score and ultimately that’s the difference.

On the fatigue level of the group right now, if he feels there is one
I think guys are good. Obviously, the coaches trying to give us days off when we need them, guys get what they need on certain days. I think everyone’s feeling good.

On the opportunity to get right back to it tomorrow against San Jose
Yeah, I think it’s good. Like I said, I think everyone was happy for the most part, with how we played, so try and build off of it, come tomorrow, reset and go at it again.

Jim Hiller

Notes –
• Forward Alex Laferriere (1-0=1) scored his 16th goal of the season, his 35th point (16-19=35) of the campaign. The tally marked Laferriere’s 30th career point scored at home (16-14=30), making him the 19th skater selected in the 2020 NHL Draft to reach that mark, and the first skater selected in the third round of the 2020 Draft to do so.
• Forward Phillip Danault (0-1=1) tallied his 31st assist for his 38th point of the campaign, extending his home point streak to four games (1-3=4), dating back to Mar. 22, 2025 vs. CAR. Danault’s 18 helpers at Crypto.com Arena this season rank second among Kings skaters behind only Anze Kopitar (20A).
• Captain Anze Kopitar played in his 1,445th regular season game tonight, tying Hockey Hall of Famer and long-time Maple Leaf Tim Horton (1,445 GP) for the 32nd most games played in NHL history.
• Forward Andrei Kuzmenko recorded a season-best seven shots in tonight’s game, tying his single-game career-best previously set on March 4, 2024 vs. SEA (with CGY).
• Forward Jeff Malott recorded his first career NHL fight, dropping the gloves with Maple Leafs blueliner Brandon Carlo early in the opening frame.

The Kings are not scheduled to hold a morning skate tomorrow, considering the back-to-back. The team will return to action tomorrow evening against the San Jose Sharks at 7 PM at Crypto.com Arena.