Clarke scores 1st NHL goal in OT, Kings rally past Bruins

BOSTON -- Brandt Clarke scored his first NHL goal with 27 seconds left in overtime, and the Los Angeles Kings rallied for a 5-4 win against the Boston Bruins at TD Garden on Saturday.

Clarke committed a hooking penalty at 2:24 to give Boston a power play, but Los Angeles killed it and Clarke exited the box, took a pass from Phillip Danault and scored on a breakaway.

The 21-year-old defenseman was playing his 17th NHL game.

“My heart was racing for a while in the penalty box,” Clarke said. “I think from when I touched [the puck] at the red line to when everyone [was] just jumping on me, I don’t even really remember that section, but that was pretty wild. [I'm] happy we got the job done.”

Anze Kopitar tied it 4-4 on a tip-in at 18:25 of the third period on the power play with goalie David Rittich pulled for an extra attacker.

Pierre-Luc Dubois had two assists, and Rittich made 28 saves for the Kings (26-16-10), who have won four of their past five games.

“On a game like today, where it took everybody, it’s hard to single anybody out,” Los Angeles coach Jim Hiller said. “Just up and down the lineup, you’ve got to give credit to everybody.”

James van Riemsdyk had two goals and an assist, and Linus Ullmark made 30 saves for the Bruins (32-12-11), who have lost four in a row (0-2-2). Trent Frederic had a goal and an assist.

“You’ve got to close out a game,” Boston coach Jim Montgomery said. “You’re up twice in the third period and you don’t close it out, and then in overtime, our power play has got to put it away.”

Van Riemsdyk gave the Bruins a 1-0 lead at 8:03 of the first period, knocking in a loose puck in front.

Matt Roy tied it 1-1 at 11:02, banking the puck off Ullmark’s leg and in from the left side.

Van Riemsdyk put Boston back in front 2-1 when he backhanded a rebound past Rittich on the power play at 14:45.

“A couple bounces go our way, maybe we’re having a different conversation,” van Riemsdyk said. “But unfortunately, it didn’t. So, I think, [it’s] just a matter of sticking with it, getting back tomorrow, having a good day of practice and being ready to go for a big game [against the Dallas Stars] on Monday.”

Anthony Richard’s first goal in his fourth game with the Bruins pushed it to 3-1 at 13:04 of the second period.

“It was awesome,” Richard said. “Last year, I scored I think three goals [with the Montreal Canadiens], but they were all on the road, so scoring at home, it’s always more special.”

Vladislav Gavrikov cut it to 3-2 at 16:38 with a shot from the point.

Alex Laferriere tied it 3-3 at 5:51 of the third period on a scramble in front, but Frederic gave Boston a 4-3 lead from the slot at 7:12.

“I think that’s two really good teams going at it,” Laferriere said. “A lot of emotion comes with that. I think [Andreas Englund] set the tone right from the start there with that fight [against Frederic at 11:02 of the first period] that we’re swinging right now, and we need to win games. So yeah, I think that definitely felt playoff-like.”

NOTES: Clarke became the first player in Kings history to score his first NHL goal in overtime. He was the first since Devils defenseman Luke Hughes (a 5-4 win against the Washington Capitals on April 13, 2023). … Forward Quinton Byfield (17 goals, 23 assists) had an assist on Laferriere’s goal to become the first Kings player aged 21 or younger to reach 40 points in a season since defenseman Drew Doughty in 2010-11 (11 goals, 29 assists). … Kopitar scored his ninth tying goal in the final two minutes of regulation, moving into a tie for third place in NHL history; Dave Andreychuk, Wayne Gretzky and Teemu Selanne share the record with 11 each. … Van Riemsdyk had his third three-point game of the season, which ranks second on the Bruins behind forward David Pastrnak (11). … Frederic also had a game-high six hits. … Boston centers Charlie Coyle and Pavel Zacha combined to win 33 of 47 face-offs (70.2 percent).