The LA Kings fell to 1-1 on their current seven-game homestand, as they dropped a 3-2 decision against the Buffalo Sabres on Saturday afternoon at Crypto.com Arena.
The Sabres opened the scoring with a power-play goal early in the game. After an unnecessary penalty in the defensive zone, Buffalo forward Jack Quinn worked his way into the slot with a burst of speed, off the left-wing boards, and beat Kings goaltender Anton Forsberg with a wrist shot on the glove side for his eighth goal of the season and a 1-0 lead.
Buffalo doubled its lead midway through the second period. After winning a faceoff in their own defensive zone, the Sabres cleared their own zone but immediately won the puck back at the offensive blueline. Forward Zach Benson found forward Tage Thompson down the right wing and after he worked his way into the right-hand circle, Thompson buried his shot inside the far post and in for a 2-0 lead.
The Kings answered back late in the middle stanza, however, to pull within a goal at the second intermission. With the second power-play unit on the ice, forward Trevor Moore took a feed from defenseman Brandt Clarke in the right-hand circle. Moore made a good pass to the low slot, off the skate of forward Corey Perry and in. The play was initially ruled off for goaltender interference but was overturned by a successful coaches challenge, getting the Kings on the board at 2-1.
Just 89 seconds into the third period, Los Angeles tied the game at two, with another first goal of the season. Forward Joel Armia started the play, creating space for his linemates with good possession in the offensive zone. Forward Andre Lee then worked his way to the front of the net and got a stick on a centering pass by forward Scott Laughton, redirecting it past Buffalo goaltender Ukka-Pekka Luukkonen and in for his first goal of the 2026-27 regular season and a 2-2 scoreline.
Late in the third period, after a missed interference call on Buffalo extended a shift in the offensive zone, Los Angeles was called for a tripping minor seconds later. The Sabres converted on the ensuing man advantage, with Thompson burying his second goal of the afternoon, to give the visitors a 3-2 victory.
Hear from Perry, forward Martin Chromiak and Head Coach Peter Laviolette following today’s defeat.
