The LA Kings concluded their two-game homestand with a record of 0-1-1 as they fell by a 4-1 score on Saturday afternoon against the Buffalo Sabres at Crypto.com Arena.
The Kings opened the scoring on the man advantage, as forward Artemi Panarin made it back-to-back games with a power-play goal. Forward Adrian Kempe worked the puck to forward Anze Kopitar in the bumper position, where the captain showed good awareness and poise with some space. He passed to Panarin in the left-hand circle, with just enough on the shot to hit the back of the net for an early 1-0 lead.
Buffalo answered back early in the second period as forward Tage Thompson tied the game at one. The Sabres held the offensive zone after forward Jeff Malott lost possession along the wall. Goaltender Anton Forsberg made the first save on a shot from forward Peyton Krebs, but Thompson collected the rebound, deked around Forsberg and pulled the puck back in front, burying his 36th goal of the season to tie the game 1-1.
The Sabres pulled ahead midway through the third period, as forward Sam Carrick scored the go-ahead goal. The Kings challenged the play, feeling that forward Zach Benson played the puck with a high stick on the zone entry, but the goal was upheld after a video review. Carrick’s goal came on the backhand, in a 2-on-1 situation after defenseman Joel Edmundson stepped up for a hit, and he buried from close range for the 2-1 lead.
After the missed challenge, Buffalo went on the power play and found an insurance goal to pull ahead 3-1. With the puck high in the air, defenseman Cody Ceci tried to knock it out of the slot but wound up sending the puck directly between Forsberg’s legs, into the back of the net with a deflection on the way, to put the Sabres up by a pair.
Forward Josh Norris finished the scoring for the visitors, as he picked the empty net late to secure the 4-1 victory.
