On New Year's Day (Jan. 1), the Los Angeles Kings (16-14-9) welcomed the Tampa Bay Lightning (24-13-3) to Crypto.com Arena in a cross-conference clash to ring in the new year for 2026. Jim Hiller and the Kings couldn't hang onto a one-goal third period lead yesterday on home ice against the Lightning to begin a four-game homestand.
Los Angeles Kings blew a lead with a disastrous third period collapse vs. Tampa Bay on home ice
The Kings lost a good opportunity to pick up valuable points in the standings in the West in the Pacific Division on home ice yesterday, falling to the Lightning by two goals on the scoreboard. Hiller and the Kings had a one-goal lead on the scoreboard until the third period's final five minutes in the last frame in clutch time for the team.
Tampa scored three goals in under three minutes in the game's final frame in the third period to defeat the Kings by a score of 5-3 at Crypto Arena yesterday evening.
It's difficult to focus on the positives after the Kings blew a late-game lead in the third period in clutch time this regular season against the Lightning from Tampa Bay. The team played well for most of the game yesterday vs. the Lightning. The power play was good on special teams, and starting goalie Darcy Kuemper looked comfortable as the starter in net yesterday.
Here are three takeaways from the Kings' late collapse in a 5-3 loss in the third period vs. the Lightning on home ice at Crypto.com Arena on New Year's Day (Jan. 1).
Fast start put to waste with late third period collapse
There were some fireworks early in the first period in the opening frame for the Kings on home ice yesterday at Crypto Arena. The Kings responded to the Lightning opening the scoring with two quick goals offensively in the game's first period in the opening frame, from forward Jeff Malott and winger Andrei Kuzmenko on special teams on the power play yesterday.
Malott scored his first career goal in the league in the NHL on home ice yesterday at Crypto Arena.
It took the Kings under three minutes to take the lead on the scoreboard in the game's first period yesterday, by a score of 2-1 in the opening frame vs. the Lightning.
The middle frame favored the Lightning, with the Kings giving up the lead on the scoreboard and losing the momentum on the ice in the second period on home ice. The Lightning tied the game on the scoreboard in the middle frame in the second period.
The Kings pushed back on the scoreboard early in the final frame in the third period yesterday, taking the lead back by a score of 3-2 on a nice goal from winger Kevin Fiala on special teams on the power play.
It looked like all the momentum on the ice and on the stat sheet was with the Kings in clutch time in the third period late in the final frame yesterday. The Kings had over double the number of high-danger scoring chances than the Lightning at even strength at 5-on-5 in the game's first 10 minutes of the final frame in the third period (per Natural Stat Trick).
The Lightning tied the game on the scoreboard in the game's final three minutes in clutch time in the final frame vs. the Kings. It didn't take much longer after Anthony Cirelli's goal in the final frame for the Lightning to take full control of the momentum on the ice yesterday, with the eventual game-winning goal from Gage Goncalves.
"I didn’t think we gave them that much in the third. I thought we pushed back. Second period wasn’t a good one for us. Then, whatever leads up to it, leads up to it, and then there’s two scrambles at our net front, and it finds a way to go in twice. I thought the two best chances of the period were Laferriere’s breakaway and Kempe’s semi-breakaway off the side, but that’s not how hockey works. Sometimes, stuff goes in."Jim Hiller
Tampa sealed the win on the scoreboard in the final frame in clutch time with an empty netter from Nikita Kucherov in the third period.
Andrei Kuzmenko stays hot offensively
Among the few positive takeaways for the Kings yesterday in the two-goal loss to the Lightning in the third period at home at Crypto Arena was the play of Kuzmenko on special teams on the 5-on-4 man advantage on the top power play unit. Kuzmenko scored the game's first go-ahead goal in the opening frame in the first period yesterday, giving the Kings the momentum on the ice before heading into the locker room at the first intermission.
Kuzmenko has registered four goals and six total points in the team's past eight games for the Kings in the past few weeks in the West.
Kuzmenko and forward Corey Perry both registered multi-point games for the Kings offensively vs. the Lightning yesterday. Kuzmenko had an assist on the game's final goal for the Kings early in the final frame in the third period. Perry also had multiple assists yesterday, registering an assist on each of the Kings' three goals on the scoreboard vs. Tampa.
Power play finally comes to life
Another positive takeaway from this late-collapse loss vs. the Lightning in the final frame in the third period yesterday was the power play on special teams producing offensively, scoring the puck for the Kings in the opening frame. The Kings scored multiple power play goals on special teams, which was a great sight for the team for LA to have over one goal on the 5-on-4 man advantage.
The power play on special teams is helping Kuzmenko find his scoring touch with the puck offensively in the Pacific Division, with a team-leading five power play goals ths regular season for LA for the team.
After Malott registered the game's first goal for the Kings in the opening rame in the first period vs. Tampa Bay yesterday, the rest of the team's goals came on special teams on the 5-on-4 man advantage on the power play for LA.
"They’ve been dangerous. Some really good plays. Last one, a great play by Perrs, prior to that, Q had Perrs on the back door. That group, yeah, in particular, is moving it well, and they feel dangerous, as dangerous as we’ve been all year."Hiller