Kings Top Golden Knights 6-5 on Kempe’s Game-Winner

Adrian Kempe scored the game-winning goal in a thrilling 6-5 victory for the Los Angeles Kings against the Vegas Golden Knights on Mar. 9. This was the Kings' second consecutive win, while the Golden Knights snapped their four-game winning streak. The Kings asserted early dominance, building a 3-0 lead, including one goal from Quinton Byfield, who has scored in three consecutive games, and one from Anze Kopitar, who scored the 16th goal of his season and the 16th of his career against the Golden Knights. Trevor Moore and Brandt Clarke rounded out the scoring, and Vladislav Gavrikov and Warren Foegele each reached career benchmarks, recording their 100th career helpers. Vegas made a furious comeback, powered by Tomas Hertl's hat trick and goals from Nicolas Roy and Brandon Saad. Adin Hill, the Golden Knights' goaltender, stopped 29 shots, though he was tested all night in goal. Despite the onslaught, Kempe's clutch goal late in the third period secured a 6-5 victory for the Kings, who won the season series three games to one, as well as their third consecutive victory over the Golden Knights. Reilly Smith of the Golden Knights also played his 900th career game, assisting on Roy's goal. Tonight, Los Angeles faces Washington for game two of three at home, and Vegas goes on the road to Columbus. With playoff races intensifying, both teams hope to gain momentum in the season's home stretch.