A late rally by the Anaheim Ducks (15-8-1) in the game's third period and in the shootout on Black Friday doomed the Los Angeles Kings (11-6-7) and head coach Jim Hiller to a shocking 5-4 collapse of a loss this afternoon. This was the first matchup this regular season this fall between the Kings and Ducks on the ice at the Honda Center on Friday afternoon (Nov. 28).
Adrian Kempe and the Los Angeles Kings pick up one point in the standings in the West after falling to the in-state foe Anaheim Ducks on Black Friday on the road
The Kings took control of the momentum on the ice and on the scoreboard early in this game, getting a goal in the game's first period in the opening frame from forward Alex Laferriere. There was also another power play opportunity on special teams for Hiller and the Kings early in the game in the first period.
But that would be it on special teams for the Kings on the power play this afternoon, as LA couldn't convert on that opportunity in the game's first period today.
Anaheim evened the game up on the scoreboard at a score of 1-1 with the Kings on a power play goal on special teams from forward Chris Kerider in the game's second period. The Kings and Ducks traded blows back and forth for the remainder of the second period in the middle frame. The two teams went into the locker room at the second intermission with a tied score of 2-2 this afternoon.
Early in the third period, it looked like the Kings took control of the game on the scoreboard for good. Alex Turcotte's first goal of this regular season early in the game's third period gave the Kings the lead back by a score of 3-2. Defenseman Joel Edmundson doubled the Kings lead on the scoreboard by a score of 4-2 with a nice goal later in the third period.
But the Ducks rallied with two goals in under eight minutes late in the third period in clutch time to tie the game up and send it to overtime. Neither the Kings nor the Ducks could get anything on the board in the 3-on-3 overtime, despite multiple scoring chances for each team this afternoon.
The Ducks scored two goals in the shootout while Ducks goalie Ville Husso kept the Kings with a donut on the scoreboard in the shootout to escape with the 5-4 shootout win for Anaheim today.
Here are three takeaways from the Kings' 5-4 shootout loss to the Ducks on the road at the Honda Center on Nov. 28.
Darcy Kuemper lets in a few he would want back
The game's first goal in the shootout by forward Troy Terry was a play where Kings' goalie Darcy Kuemper lost his stock and exposed the five-hole. On the Ducks' next shot in the shootout this afternoon, forward Mason McTavish opened up the five-hole on Kuemper and scored a nice goal on a deke in front of the net.
This is the first game I can remember in the past few weeks in the West that I thought Kuemper didn't play his best game in between the pipes for the Kings early this regular season in the 2025-26 campaign. Kuemper stopping under 90 percent of the shots he faced from the Ducks this afternoon was only the second time since the first day of this month of November that he didn't post a .900 or better save percentage.
The game's second goal in the middle frame by the Ducks was a slow dribbler into the goal that was a tally that Kuemper usually gets in front of and doesn't let past into the net for the Kings in between the pipes.
Kings look shaky with the puck late in the game in third period and the 3-on-3 overtime
I thought this was a pretty quiet afternoon on the ice for forwards Adrian Kempe and center captain Anze Kopitar. The Kings had more high-danger scoring chances and scoring chances in clutch time in the third period. But the Ducks capitalized on the power play on special teams when it mattered this afternoon.
The Kings couldn't get the puck in the back of the net past Husso and the Ducks today, and it ultimately cost them in the Pacific Division standings in the West in the shootout.
The Kings have made it to a league-high 11 overtimes early this regular season this fall.
"It’s tough, it’s really tough because sometimes you get a big save, sometimes they get a flukey goal, sometimes you never really know. It’s always good to have a lead. I think the Kings, especially this year, we’ve done a good job holding those leads and playing a lot of tight games. It’s good to experience it, the Ducks, they kept coming and they capitalized on the opportunities they had."Brian Dumoulin
I don't want to bash the Kings for the shootout, but this team has not been good in the shootout early this regular season. The Kings are just 1-5 on the road this fall in games that go past overtime into the shootout. LA is 1-6 on the regular season this fall in shootouts.
Kempe didn't register a single high-danger scoring chance and had just one scoring chance in the third period for the first time in three weeks in the West for the Kings (per Natural Stat Trick). Kempe had a chance to end the game late in the third period in clutch time and in overtime with a couple of nice chances.
First place in the division remains out of reach for the Kings after the points streak is extended to four games
Had the Kings won the game today against the Ducks on the road at the Honda Center in Anaheim just up the road from Crypto Arena in LA, this team would be in first place in the Pacific Division standings in the West for the first time this regular season this fall.
The Kings had a two goal lead on the scoreboard going into the final frame late in the third period. But the defense couldn't hold up and get possession in front of Kuemper, which kept momentum on the ice on the Ducks' side late in the game in the final frame.
This is now seven times early this regular season that Hiller and the Kings have failed to get that extra point in the standings in the Pacific Division in shootouts and in overtime this fall. The Kings need more out of the likes of Kempe, Kevin Fiala, and Kopitar in these clutch moments late in games in the third period and overtime/shootouts this regular season in the West.