ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) — In a thrilling display of offense and determination, the Los Angeles Kings came from behind to defeat their cross-town rivals, the Anaheim Ducks, in a 4-1 showdown on Sunday.
For much of the contest, the Ducks appeared to be in control, with their stifling defense and calculated attacks testing the Kings' mettle. However, the turning point came in the third period when the Kings exploded for four goals to snatch victory from the jaws of defeat.
Leading the charge for the Kings was forward Adrian Kempe, who notched the equalizing goal and swung the momentum firmly in his team's favor. However, Kempe's goal was only the starting point, as his teammates soon followed suit with a trio of strikes that left the Ducks reeling.
Alex Laferriere, Kevin Fiala, and Mikey Anderson all joined Kempe on the scoresheet, as their goals in the third period broke the Ducks' spirits and sealed the win for the Kings. The decisive goal streak demonstrated the Kings' lethal attacking potential and their ability to rise to the occasion when it counts.
The Ducks, on the other hand, were left to ponder what might have been, as a dominant display for the first two periods ultimately counted for nothing. They managed to find the net once, but their scoring opportunities were few and far between after the first period, and they eventually paid the price for their lack of finishing precision.
As the two Southern California rivals moved in opposite directions, the Kings' come-from-behind victory is sure to send shockwaves throughout the league and further fuel their ambitions. Meanwhile, the Ducks will need to lick their wounds and regroup ahead of their next outing, where they will aim to arrest their slide and rediscover their winning form.