In Las Vegas, the Los Angeles Kings’ Adrian Kempe hit for a double on Friday night, including the game-winner, midway through the extra session for a 4-3 win over the Golden Knights.
“Going back a couple years, we’ve always had tight games against Vegas, but I felt like the past couple years they’ve always been the team to get that extra point at the end,” Kempe said. “Vegas is a team that we’re gonna have to beat, on the road sometimes, to get the huge points. Now we got the two points tonight, and that was big for us, and we’ve got to keep playing this way for the rest of the season if we’re gonna have a shot at the playoffs.”
Jonathan Quick made 21 saves in the LA win.
Max Pacioretty struck for a [pair of goals for the Golden Knights.
“I didn’t love our night,” Vegas head coach Pete DeBoer said. “We found a way to scrape a point out but wasn’t our finest effort in my mind. … The more points we drop, the easier that desperation will come.”
The Golden Knights dropped to 28-18-4.
Reilly Smith added a single marker for the Knights.
Jack Eichel had his first point for Vegas, an assist.
“He’s been out for so long, almost a year, so it’s kind of a line of guys trying to find their game after some absence,” Pacioretty said. “Did a better job of it tonight, had some opportunities, but still have a ways to go.”
LA improved to 25-17-7.
“There’s a belief within our group that we can play and come back,” Kings head coach Todd McLellan said. “We didn’t have those qualities in the last 15 or 20 games last year, but we have them now. We’ve got to keep them.”
Andreas Athanasiou also scored for the Kings.
LA’s Phillip Danault scored in the third period to force the extra session when he tied the game, 3-3.
Laurent Brossoit made 27 saves in the loss.
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