Recap: Penalty Killing Struggles Sink Ducks in 6-1 Loss to Kings

Cutter Gauthier scored for the third straight game, but the Ducks could not overcome a leaky penalty kill tonight in a 6-1 loss to the Los Angeles Kings at Crypto.com Arena.

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The loss dropped Anaheim to 35-36-8 on the season with three games left to play.

Gauthier scored the lone Anaheim goal, marking his fifth goal in the last three games. Leo Carlsson and Alex Killorn collected assists. Lukas Dostal made 23 saves in his 52nd appearance of the season.

Kevin Fiala netted two power-play goals for the Kings, who improved to 45-25-9. Anze Kopitar, Alex Laferriere, Quinton Byfield and Jordan Spence also scored, while goaltender Darcy Kuemper earned his 29th win of the season with stops on 23-of-24 Anaheim attempts.

Byfield put LA ahead first early in the opening period, slamming home a one-timer from linemate Andrei Kuzmenko behind the net for the Kings first of two power-play goals.

Gauthier momentarily pulled Anaheim even early in the second period, once again converting a setup pass from Carlsson with a dart off the wing. The scoring chance started on a failed clear by LA, which Carlsson knocked down and kept in the offensive zone, eventually delivering a short pass to Gauthier for a one-timer past the sliding Kuemper in net.

Carlsson and Gauthier have now combined on four goals in the last three games, with tonight's tally clinching a 20-goal season for Gauthier in his rookie NHL campaign. The fifth Duck to reach 20 goals this season, Gauthier ranks third among all NHL rookies in goals and fifth in points.

Carlsson has been one of the NHL's most productive players over the last two months, posting 28 points in as many games since the beginning of February. The 20-year-old leads Anaheim in points, goals, assists and plus/minus during that span.

The Kings would reclaim the lead on the next shift though on a play that left the Ducks voicing their frustration with the officials. With LA on the forecheck, winger Adrian Kempe slashed the stick of Anaheim's Olen Zellweger, knocking it out of the defenseman's hands and allowing Kempe to take possession in the corner. The puck then went high in the zone to defenseman Mikey Anderson for a point shot, which Kopitar tipped home from just outside the Anaheim crease.

The goal marked Kopitar's 14th career 20-goal season, making him just the ninth player in NHL history born outside of North America to accomplish the feat, joining a list that includes Alex Ovechkin, Jaromir Jagr and Teemu Selanne. Kopitar has scored 32 goals in 93 career games against the Ducks, tied with Hall of Famer Brett Hull for third-most all-time.

Fiala then doubled the LA lead with a power-play goal moments later, beating Dostal through the five-hole on a one-timer from the top of the right circle.

With two goals on the night, his third and fourth in the last four games, Fiala now sits one goal shy of his career high, set in 2022 with Minnesota.

LA extended the lead to 4-1 late in the middle frame on another controversial ruling, this one upheld after replay review. With the Kings on the attack, the puck floated to Laferriere in the corner, who knocked it down with his stick and then swiped it home from the low slot. Anaheim quickly challenged the goal, as Laferriere appeared to contact the puck above his shoulders. The ruling on the ice was confirmed though, the league's situation room ruled, earning Anaheim an extra two-minute penalty for delay of game in the process.

Fiala and Spence capped the scoring with third-period goals, sealing LA's 6-1 win.

The Ducks return to action Sunday, hosting the Colorado Avalanche on Fan Appreciation Night at Honda Center.