PRESEASON FINAL – Kings 3, Ducks 5 – Moore, Portillo, Hiller

The LA Kings dropped their first game of the 2025 preseason, as they fell by a 5-3 final score against the Anaheim Ducks on Saturday afternoon at Dignity Health Arena in Bakersfield, CA.

Just over three minutes into the game, Los Angeles got the scoring started as newly-signed defenseman Cody Ceci found the back of the net for the first time in a Kings jersey. After taking a feed from defenseman Jacob Moverare, Ceci wound and fired from the right-hand circle that beat Anaheim goaltender Petr Mrazek and sailed just inside the post to get his team on the board early in the game.

Midway through the opening period, Anaheim pushed back to tie the game at one. With the Ducks skating on the power play, forward Ryan Poehling collected the puck in the slot and had his shot saved by Kings netminder Erik Portillo, but defenseman Pavel Mintyukov activated from the left point and buried the rebound, equalizing the score at a goal apiece.

The Kings pulled back ahead shortly before the end of the first period to take a 2-1 lead heading into the first intermission. Forward Liam Greentree curled into the right-hand circle and showed strong composure to find forward Taylor Ward through a maze of bodies in front, with Ward burying his second goal of the preseason at the back post.

Anaheim scored the only goal of the second period to tie the game through 40 minutes of play. Stationed at the right point, defenseman Ian Moore sent a shot towards the net that was deflected in front by Ducks forward Nathan Gaucher, through the legs of Portillo, to send the game into the second intermission with a 2-2 scoreline.

14 seconds was all the time the Kings needed in the third period to regain the lead. Anaheim turned the puck over in their own zone it fell directly to forward Trevor Moore in the slot, uncontested. Moore took one stickhandle onto his forehand and picked his spot past Mrazek for his first goal of the preseason, securing a 3-2 advantage.

With just over six minutes to play in regulation, Anaheim pulled even once again as defenseman Tyson Hinds scored his second goal of the preseason. Rotating high in the zone, forward Yegor Sidorov was the facilitator, as he sent a shot on net through traffic. Portillo made the initial stop, but the rebound fell to Hinds, who was crashing the net from the left point, and he buried it for the game-tying goal.

Inside the final minute of regulation, Ducks forward Matthew Phillips scored the game-winning goal. With Anaheim skating on the power play, Phillips slowly worked his way towards the net and was in a good position to capitalize on an Owen Zellweger rebound, putting the Ducks ahead for the first time in the game late in the third period.

With just eight seconds remaining, forward Nico Myatovic iced the game with an empty-net goal, bringing us to the final score of 5-3.

Hear from Moore, Portillo and Head Coach Jim Hiller following tonight’s game.

Trevor Moore
On how he felt in the game, generating offensive looks
It was an alright game. Little sloppy out there, but it was fun coming to this building. It’s about the process right now, and I thought we were pretty solid.

On the opportunity to play more special teams in preseason
I think it was good. A lot of penalties in the preseason, but kind of sucks for the young guys who you want to get into a rhythm and get some action out there for them, but good for our special teams, give us some looks. I thought the PK did a pretty good job and the power play had a lot of good looks too.

On what he saw that led to his early goal in the third
Saw a guy that fell down, got lucky. Then the goalie I think was just kind of cheating over towards Phil so it just gave me a lane.

Erik Portillo
On how it felt to get back into game action
It felt really good. I mean, battling through this injury has been a journey, and I’ve learned a lot on during the road here. So, it was really good to be back and playing hockey again.

On how he’s felt in camp since he was able to get back on the ice
I think hockey wise, I feel good. I feel ready for the season. I’m excited to be back. Obviously, today wasn’t the outcome we wanted, but in general, I feel good, and I feel like my game has improved.

On his offseason after a frustrating end to the year with his injury
The road was up and down the entire way, but it was slowly, slowly better and better, I think. But it was setbacks along the way, and that’s just the way it is with these types of injuries. You don’t really know the timeline. We were battling hard every single day to get the core stronger, get it to heal and all the things along the way. It’s definitely been a long journey.

On the competition with the other goaltenders in training camp
I think that’s great. I think it’s good for everyone. It’s good competition. We push each other and I think that’s good for everybody.

Jim Hiller
On the role special teams played in the game
Well, we had a lot of looks on the power play. I think, you know, Mrazek played really well. We would take those looks. I think most nights you’d get a couple on the power play. Obviously, we didn’t. They cash in at the end. Not so much off structured looks, just some bounces and some thrown puts the net. So penalty kill was actually fine, and power play probably wasn’t bad either, just didn’t get on the right side of it.

On the play of Cody Ceci
Some of these veteran guys have played on enough different teams. There’s kind of bits and pieces of systems and they’ve played on different spots. He’s been seamless, really as a veteran guy, Dumoulin too. What you see is what you get with Cody, big, not a lot of room when you’re playing against him. And then he does have the ability. Does have a big slap shot. He has the ability when he gets a slapper away to bury it like he did.

On Kyle Burrows getting power play time
He was good. Burr will do anything he’s asked. We all know. So it’s nice to reward him not only to be playing a lot and penalty killing, but getting him out on the power play. He runs a power play pretty well. He swivels his hips. He’s got a heavy shot. So yeah, again, no goals on the power play. I guess notionally you had one coming out of the box. I usually count those in my own mind, at least, but, yeah, some good things.

On Erik Portillo getting a chance to play and return from injury
He was excited to play. He did a lot of rehab. You get frustrated during that process, so yeah to get the jersey back on, the Kings jersey back on and get out there was a good night for him. I could tell.

On preparing for a different opponent in Utah
Utah does some different things. Their power play in particular is extremely dangerous. That’s going to challenge us. But again, preseason, so it’ll be a good chance for our guys just to get those reps. We’re sneaking up on it, right? We got another three games, I believe, and then she’s showtime. So we’re going have to get a few things dialed back in.

The Kings have a scheduled off day tomorrow and will be back on the Toyota Sports Performance Center ice Monday morning for their next training camp practice at 11 a.m.