The Kings made it back-to-back wins in as many nights on Sunday, overcoming multiple deficits to beat the Philadelphia Flyers. The win gives the Kings a clean 2-0-0 sweep of Flyers in the season series and catapults LA two points ahead of the Edmonton Oilers for second place in the Pacific Division.
The back and forth game opened with a Kevin Fiala one-timer from outside of the left wing face-off circle 5:14 into the first period. Fiala took a perfect low-to-high pass from Alex Laferriere and netted his 14th goal of the season to give the Kings an early 1-0 lead. Just over three minutes later, Tyson Foerster, who buried a pair of goals against the Kings in their first meeting evened the game at 1-1 on a contested breakaway during 4-on-4 play. The Flyers proceeded to take a 2-1 lead with 5:51 remaining in the period when Matvei Michkov found an open Scott Laughton on top of the crease, who banged in his eighth goal of the season. Trailing for the first time in the game, the Kings responded two and a half minutes later. Evening the score with his team-leading 17th goal of the season, Adrian Kempe nailed another Kings one-timer, this one coming from Brandt Clarke in the slot, knotting the game at 2-2. Four goals was enough in the opening 20 minutes and Kings went into the first intermission with an 8-6 shot advantage.
The second period did not start how the Kings had hoped as the Flyers jumped out to a 4-2 lead with 6:18 remaining in the middle stanza. A Michkov and Joel Farabee goal each had the Flyers doubling up the Kings, but the Kings narrowed the lead before period’s end. Doing that was Warren Foegele who was sent in on a breakaway and followed his own shot up with a rebound goal, his 11th of the season. The Kings trailed 4-3 after two.
Anze Kopitar got in on the scoring when it mattered most, tying the game at 3-3 with 13:16 remaining in the game. Kopitar, who also buried his 11th goal of the season banged in a rebound off of a Quinton Byfield shot. Not satisfied, Kopitar scored the eventual game-winning goal around the halfway mark of the period. Coming on the power play, Kopitar won the offensive zone draw, made his way to the slot and deflected in a Kempe point shot, giving the veteran a dozen goals on the year. The Kings hunkered down the rest of the way, killed off a late power play and came out victorious.
David Rittich returned to the Kings net, earning his 11th win by stopped 17 of 21 shots.
