The LA Kings picked up their first victory of the 2026-27 season, as they skated to a 5-2 win over the Washington Capitals on Tuesday evening at Capital One Arena.
Washington opened the scoring just shy of the halfway mark in the first period. Attacking off the rush, forward Ryan Leonard pulled up at the top of the left-hand circle and worked his way through the top of the slot. As defenseman Matt Roy provided a moving screen in front of Kings goaltender Darcy Kuemper, Leonard’s shot found a way through, past Kuemper and in, for his team-leading eighth point of the season and a 1-0 lead.
Late in the opening period, the Capitals doubled their advantage with a power-play goal. Defenseman Cole Hutson did the bulk of the work himself, as he weaved across the offensive blueline with possession, dragged the puck onto his forehand and snapped a shot past Kuemper, high on the glove side, for his second goal of the season and a 2-0 lead for Washington.
The Kings got the response they needed from their top line, as forward Adrian Kempe buried his second goal of the season to get the visitors on the board. Forward Artemi Panarin, attacking in transition, cut in off the right wing and fed Kempe in stride, entering the offensive zone. From the left-hand circle, Kempe finished top shelf, past Washington netminder Logan Thompson, to make it a 2-1 game.
With just two seconds remaining in the opening period, the Kings tied the game at two. Defenseman Mikey Anderson pinched aggressively down the wall, forcing a turnover deep in the offensive zone. The puck deflected right to Panarin, who used a quick release on his shot to beat Thompson up high, tying the game at two with his team-leading fourth goal of the season.
As a Kings power play wound down in the third period, defenseman Erik Gustafsson called his own number and put the Kings head with a terrific individual effort. Gustafsson danced his way through everyone, worked his way in alone and beat Thompson with a shot on the forehand. The goal was Gustafsson’s first in a Kings jersey, giving Los Angeles a 3-2 advantage on the road.
Kempe buried his second goal of the game later in the third period, as the Kings took their first multi-goal game of the season. He started the play in the corner, as his aggressive forecheck forced a turnover below the goal line. Kempe then went to the front of the net and Panarin fed him there, as the Swede collected his second of the evening to put the visitors up by a pair.
Forward Scott Laughton hit the empty net late in the game to seal the deal with a 5-2 victory.
Hear from Kuemper, Kempe and Head Coach Peter Laviolette following tonight’s victory.
