Takeaways from LA Kings shootout loss vs. Nashville

A game that had the Los Angeles Kings (30-26-19) and new interim head coach DJ Smith celebrating center captain Anze Kopitar's career and legacy for the franchise, there was a very exciting game played on the ice against the Nashville Predators (35-31-9) at Crypto.com Arena.

Anze Kopitar night for the Los Angeles Kings brings excitement and a shootout loss vs. Nashville on home ice

The Kings and Predators played in front of a very excited crowd on home ice at Crypto Arena late this week on Thursday night (April 2) in the back end of back-to-back games for Smith and LA yesterday. There was a lot of action in this game, including a multi-goal comeback in the final frame in the third period by the Kings and the Predators ultimately coming up with the two points in the standings in the West this regular season down the stretch.

Another bad start on the ice and on the scoreboard ultimately hurt the Kings too much for them to comeback and win the game when it was all said and done in the extra time and the shootout yesterday. The Predators took a 3-0 and then a 4-1 lead on the scoreboard in the middle frame in the second period and the final frame yesterday against the Kings at Crypto Arena at home.

The Kings pushed back to tie the game on the scoreboard, including two nice goals from winger Adrian Kempe and a couple of points on the stat sheet from winger Joel Armia in the final frame in the third period vs. the Predators on home ice at Crypto Arena.

Nashville got over the hump and won the game to get two points in the standings in the West this regular season down the stretch with a 5-4 win in the shootout yesterday vs. the Kings last night on the ice.

The Kings put together a really hard-fought effort on the ice and on the scoreboard down the stretch yesterday in clutch time in the final frame in the third period to at least get one point in the standings out of the loss in the West vs. Nashville.

Here are the takeaways from the Kings' 5-4 comeback shootout loss vs. the Predators in the back end of back-to-back games on home ice on April 2.

Adrian Kempe and Joel Armia lead the Kings' third period rally

A messy game in the opening frame in the first period and in the middle frame saw the Kings miss some opportunities to get back in the game on the ice and on the scoreboard yesterday. But the Kings responded in clutch time in the final frame in the third period yesterday, including the big goal late in the game on the scoreboard from Armia to put home the rebound in front of the net for the Predators.

What started the momentum shift late in the middle frame in the second period and in the final frame for the Kings on the ice yesterday was Kempe scoring multiple goals offensively in the zone. Kempe was the only Kings' player who had a multi-goal game on the scoreboard yesterday for the Kings.

The Kings clearly fought hard for Kopitar, who had a point of his own on an assist on the goal scored by Kempe late in the middle frame in the second period, to get the game tied up on the scoreboard in the final frame.

"Obviously you want to get the two points. We didn’t get them, we’ll take the one. Certainly not the start that we wanted, but the fight, the character this group showed is obviously encouraging. We’re going to need that kind fight going forward."

Anze Kopitar

The Kings had more shots on goal and more scoring chances in the zone yesterday on the ice and on the stat sheet than the Predators in the final frame in the third period in clutch time (per Natural Stat Trick).

Kings get momentum, but can't close the game out in the final frame in the third period vs. Nashville

The Kings had all the momentum in this game on the ice and on the stat sheet on their side in the final frame in the third period late in the game in clutch time vs. Nashville on home ice. But Kempe and the Kings were unable to finish the game on the scoreboard late in the final frame in the third period in clutch time yesterday.

Artemi Panarin and Armia both had good opportunities to give the Kings the game's first lead on the scoreboard in clutch time in the final frame in the third period, but came up short in the end.

The Kings, unfortunately, couldn't bury the puck in the net behind Predators goalie Juuse Saros in the shootout after the extra time yesterday on home ice. Over a half-dozen rounds in the shootout saw the Kings miss shots yesterday, spoiling the potential comeback win in the standings in the West.