FINAL – Kings 1, Bruins 2 (OT) – Byfield, Burroughs, Hiller

The LA Kings picked up a point on the road, as they fell by a 2-1 final in overtime against the Boston Bruins on Saturday afternoon at TD Garden.

The first period came and went without a goal. The best look for the Kings came while shorthanded, as forwards Trevor Moore and Phillip Danault led a 2-on-1 rush, leading to multiple opportunities, but no goals. In total, the Kings outshot the Bruins 9-7 in the opening frame, despite killing off the period’s only two penalties.

Early in the second period, the Kings opened the scoring while on the power play. With the second unit on the ice, taking over an extended stretch in the offensive zone from the first unit, a string of passes led to the game’s first goal. Quinton Byfield took a pass from defenseman Jordan Spence and split the penalty killers through the slot, finding Danault in the left-hand circle. Danault passed through the slot, past Alex Turcotte in front directly to Moore, who buried his first of the season for an early 1-0 lead.

With the teams skating 4-on-4 late in the second period, Boston equalized through forward Elias Lindholm. Defenseman Jordan Spence turned the puck over in the neutral zone, which gave the Bruins a look the other way. Kings netminder Darcy Kuemper made the first save on a slap shot from Brad Marchand, but Lindholm drove the net and snuck the rebound past a sprawling Kuemper for his second goal of the season and a tie game at the second intermission.

The third period came and went without a goal, as the Kings put together a grinding effort to get the game into overtime, including a penalty kill in the final three minutes of regulation.

In the extra session, Boston scored the game-winning goal, as David Pastrnak capitalized on a long shift by the Kings. With the Kings unable to get a clean clearance, to get fresh legs on the ice, the Bruins converted on a 2-on-2 sequence, with Pastrnak burying from the slot for the the 2-1 victory and the second point.

Hear from Byfield, defenseman Kyle Burroughs and Head Coach Jim Hiller following tonight’s game.

Quinton Byfield

Kyle Burroughs
On tonight’s game and getting the point in Boston
Yeah, it was a grinding game, it was two good teams that wanted to win. Obviously it sucks to lose an extra point, but with all special teams near the end of the game, kind of gritting that one out and taking the point, obviously, [we had] chances on both sides to maybe steal the game, but it was a hard, structured game.

On the third period tonight, finding a way to get that game into overtime
No one’s looking to paint a Picasso in the third period, we’re just trying to play a structured game. It might not be the prettiest, but yeah, that’s the name of the game.

On a group of defensemen trying to raise their game collectively
I think we’re trying to play as a committee. I think that’s the biggest thing, we’re all trying to play as a whole unit, not just one guy. Drew does some impressive things on the ice, whether that’s with the puck, without the puck, and he’s such a big part of our team, but we’re just trying to pick up the slack as a group and contribute on a night to night basis.

On the performance on the PK tonight, showing aggression in a 4-of-4 effort
I don’t think we’re giving them much time, I think that’s the biggest thing. You give these guys time and they’re going to be able to make a play. I think that’s the biggest thing and we’ve been reading off each other really well, pressuring really well and getting our clears when we can. When we need a save, Darce has been there, he’s been probably our best player the first two games.

Jim Hiller
On his overall takeaways from tonight’s game
I think that was a lot closer to how we played in the preseason and that’s a lot closer to how we want to play. We took too many penalties again, the penalty killers did a heck of a job tonight. Against Buffalo, we came out clean, but there were some reads, some improvements tonight and I thought we did an excellent job [on the penalty kill]. I thought that was probably the strong part of our game.

On Boston’s game-winning goal and not getting a change
Yeah two guys really tired and that’s what will get you in overtime every time. I think we had a chance to execute a little bit better, both with the puck and then defensively, it was only a 2-on-2 and we just didn’t get it done, puck ended up on the wrong guy’s stick.

On the team’s response after the game in Buffalo
We responded. I didn’t like the Buffalo game, I don’t think any of us did, outside of the result. We responded. Tough building, physical team and it was nice to see us get that game back that quickly.

On the third period tonight, grinding into overtime for a point
Killing the penalties at the end there for sure, we had a chance on our power play, a couple good looks to maybe finish it, but it’s a hard game in this building. If people understand what it’s like to be in the room, go out in that crowd and play a physical Boston team, it is not going to look like a Picasso ever. We go to work here and I was really proud of our guys for doing that.

On his group of defensemen, playing roles they may not be accustomed to
I think the veterans, you’ve got to give them a lot of credit, they’ve been playing a lot of minutes. Gavrikov, Edmundson and Mikey, those guys have really I would say elevated. We didn’t know Eddie outside of playing against him, Gaby, we’ve had here for a while, I think he’s playing some of his best hockey and I thought Mikey’s game was much better tonight.

Notes –
• The Kings and Bruins required overtime to settle the score for a seventh consecutive game
• Forward Trevor Moore (0-1=1), the Kings’ leading goal-scorer from last season, registered his first goal of the
campaign. This is Moore’s first goal in Boston since March 7, 2022, when he tied the game with 26 seconds left in
the third period in an eventual 3-2 overtime victory.
• Per NHL PR, Moore has scored the game’s first goal nine times since joining the Kings in 2019-20. Only four
active Los Angeles skaters have more in that span: Adrian Kempe (24), Anze Kopitar (20), Phillip Danault (13),
Kevin Fiala (12).
• Forward Quinton Byfield (0-1=1) picked up his second assist of the season, extending his point and assist streak
to a second game (0-2=2) to open the season. It is the first point streak of Byfield’s career, to begin in the first game of a campaign and makes him the 10th different skater in franchise history to record a season-opening road assist streak before turning 23 years old.
• Forward Philip Danault (0-1=1) recorded his second assist in as many games against the Bruins, having fed defenseman Brandt Clarke’s first career NHL goal in overtime at TD Garden on Feb. 17, 2024.
• The Kings successfully killed off all five Bruins power-play opportunities this game, marking the second consecutive game that the Kings have held opponents scoreless on the man-advantage. It is just the second time in franchise history the Kings have killed held opponents scoreless on the man-advantage while contesting five- or-more power-play opportunities in back to back games to open the season (Jan. 14 2021 vs. MIN, 6/6 & Jan. 16 2021 vs. MIN, 5/5).
• Goaltender Darcy Kuemper made 23 saves on 25 of the Bruins’ shots on goal.

The Kings have a scheduled team off day tomorrow and will return to the ice on Monday against Ottawa, with puck drop set for 10 AM Pacific.