Despite a slow start on Thursday evening, the Los Angeles Kings managed to rally and knock off the Toronto Maple Leafs, 4-3, in overtime at Scotiabank Arena. Improving to 9-5-4, Los Angeles has now strung together three consecutive victories along with four in its last five games.
It was ultimately Ontario-born Quinton Byfield who delivered the game-winner in his home province just 35 seconds into overtime, sealing a comeback that saw the Kings fall down 2-0 through the opening period. The right-winger smashed the shot past Maple Leafs’ backup goalie Dennis Hildeby, sending a shockwave of silence through the home crowd.
Toronto faltered on an evening where they were without the services of captain Auston Matthew (lower body) and goalkeeper Anthony Stolarz (upper body), who were both injured in the team’s 5-4 loss at Boston on Tuesday evening.
Byfield was one of four Kings to score, with Warren Foegele, Kevin Fiala and Alex Laferriere also getting in on the action. Foegele and Fiala both found their goals in the second period to erase Toronto’s early 2-0 advantage.
Foegele is yet another Ontario-born player on the Kings’ roster, with the left-winger from Markham providing his third goal of the season, having now found the net in consecutive contests. Fiala then evened the score with less than five minutes remaining in the second, rebounding a pair of his own misses to finally get a shot past Hildeby on the third attempt.
However, Toronto scoring leader John Tavares provided the answer with his 11th of the season less than two minutes later. Tavares trails Colorado’s Nathan MacKinnon by just three goals for the NHL lead.
Los Angeles goalkeeper Darcy Kuemper held firm in the third period, keeping Toronto from adding on and buying his squad enough time to deliver the equalizer. It was Alex Laferriere who came through in the clutch, tying the game at three after Brandt Clarke’s initial shot deflected off his stick and into the net.
With the victory, Kuemper extended his point streak on the road to eight consecutive results, dating back to Oct. 13 in Minnesota. He earned his seventh victory of the year on Thursday and has earned only one loss thus far through the month of November.
The Kings will continue their six-game road trip on Saturday afternoon as they head to Ottawa for a battle with the Senators. Ottawa currently holds second place in the Atlantic Division with an indentical record to Los Angeles at 9-5-4. It will be the first matchup of the season between the two sides.
Puck drop is scheduled for 4:00 p.m. PT.