Kempe Delivers in Overtime as Kings Edge Canucks 2-1

On a cold Saturday night with the Kings (12-6-7) playing a back-to-back, L.A. delivered exactly the type of game we’ve seen from them all season long, another down-to-the-wire victory in overtime against the Canucks, thanks to Adrian Kempe’s game-winner to seal it 2-1 over Vancouver.

Captain Anze Kopitar opened the scoring for Los Angeles, burying his goal early in the first period, drawing the Kings' first blood over Vancouver. From there, the momentum swung back and forth with Vancouver responding in the second period to tie it up 1-1 heading to the final frame.

It looked like the Kings would blow another game they were leading, when Vancouver scored to give them momentum, but this time the Kings didn't go away in the clutch.

The third period tightened even further, with both teams playing hard defense and neither able to get a breakthrough on offense, building the tension into overtime. The game was sent to an extra period, where the Kings have struggled all season long.

Only this time, they delivered against Vancouver.

Just under a minute remaining in overtime, Kempe accelerated into open space just five feet from the net and snapped home the game-winner off the nice pass from Kevin Fiala. The shot was quick and clean, finally winning it for the Kings in a place where they’ve looked bad all year in overtime.

The Kings didn’t dominate the stat sheet this time, but showed up finally on the ice when it mattered most. In a late-night matchup in mid-November, Los Angeles grabbed just their third home win this season.

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