The Kings concluded their five-game road trip on Saturday night in Seattle, but did so without picking up any points. The Kings were doubled up on this particular night, losing 4-2. With the regulation loss, the Kings close out their trip with a 2-3-0 record.
The game's opening goal came just 38 seconds into the opening period right after the Kings failed breakout attempt led to a turnover in their own high slot. The Kraken jumped on the puck immediately and the newly acquired Kappo Kakko hit Jaden Schwartz for a one-time snap shot resulting in a goal. The Kings responded shortly after and did so on the power play. Netting a goal on the man advantage for the second straight game, Anze Kopitar recorded his team-leading 30th assist with a beautiful cross crease pass to Adrian Kempe, who added his team-leading 22nd goal of the season. The goal for Kempe now gives the Swede goals in five of the last seven games.
The Kraken answered back immediately. It took just 1:33 after the Kings goal for Jaden Schwartz to bury his second goal of the game, putting the Kraken back up 2-1. Following a hit on Warren Foegele that the Kings players and bench didn’t like, the Kraken carried on playing and grabbed possession of the puck, instantly going into the Kings zone on a 2-on-1. Setting up Schwartz this time was Matty Beniers, who also fed the veteran forward for a one-timer for his 15th goal of the year. Now trailing by a goal late in the first period, Jordan Spence ripped a shot from the point with 1:17 to go and found the back of the net thanks to some help around the crease as incidental contact caused by a Kraken defenseman sent Trevor Moore into Joey Daccord allowing for a clean entry for the puck. No challenge was requested and the game went into the first intermission knotted 2-2.
The second period’s only goal gave the Kraken their third one-goal lead of the game. Again scoring in the opening two minutes for the second straight period, Chandler Stephenson beat Darcy Kuemper with a slot tip off of an Oliver Bjorkstrand shot. The Kraken led 3-2 after 40 minutes, while held a 21-13 shot advantage.
The Kings dominated the third period but couldn’t even the score. Down 3-2, the Kings outshot the Kraken 15-0 in the first 18:50 of the period. Unable to beat Daccord on any of them, Schwartz gained possession of the puck with a Kings empty net and earned a hat trick with his team’s only shot on goal with 1:10 to go in the game. Behind Schwartz’s three-goal night the Kraken defeated the Kings 4-2.
Darcy Kuemper’s five-game streak of allowing one goal or less was snapped Saturday with the three goals allowed on 21 shots. Kuemper’s record on the season now sits at 13-4-5.
Looking forward, the Kings will head home for a brief two-game home stand before setting back out for another five-game roadie trip.