The Los Angeles Kings secured their spot in the Western Conference playoffs Monday night after defeating the Seattle Kraken 5-3, powered by a two-goal performance from forward Quinton Byfield.
Trevor Moore and Alexis Laferriere each contributed one goal and one assist, while Adrian Kempe found the net once and goalie Anton Forsberg turned away 28 shots for Los Angeles (35-26-19, 89 points). The Kings have now won five consecutive games, marking their longest winning streak this season. With regular season contests remaining Tuesday in Vancouver and Thursday at Calgary, Los Angeles could still secure a top-three position in the Pacific Division or claim a wild-card position.
For Seattle (34-35-11, 79 points), Adam Larsson, Frederick Gaudreau and Bobby McMann each scored while Matty Beniers recorded two assists. The loss ended the Kraken’s two-game winning streak. Rookie netminder Nikke Kokko, making only his second NHL appearance due to injuries to Joey Daccord and Philipp Grubauer and Matt Murray’s absence for family reasons, made 25 saves on 29 shots.
Byfield’s quickness resulted in two unassisted scores during the opening period.
His first goal came after Seattle’s Jordan Eberle won a faceoff in the offensive zone and sent the puck back toward Ryan Lindgren at the left point. Byfield reached the puck first, bounced it off the boards to bypass Lindgren, and created a 2-on-1 opportunity. He then fired a wrist shot from just inside the faceoff circle that hit the top of the net at 2:43.
Byfield’s second tally occurred at 13:19 when Eberle’s pass back to Lindgren at the point bounced over the defenseman’s stick, creating a breakaway opportunity down the right side. He deked as if moving across the crease before lifting a forehand shot over Kokko’s glove hand.
Los Angeles increased their advantage to 3-0 at 7:13 of the second period when Laferriere’s shot from the left faceoff circle bounced energetically off the end boards back to Moore, who buried a wrist shot from the slot.
Seattle mounted a comeback effort in the final period.
Larsson connected on a wrist shot from the left point through traffic past Forsberg at 1:53, ending the goaltender’s chance for consecutive shutouts.
Gaudreau cut the deficit to 3-2 at 8:08, receiving a feed from Kaapo Kakko and hammering the puck home from just outside the left post.
Los Angeles restored their two-goal cushion as Kempe received a pass from Anze Kopitar during a 2-on-1 break and scored with a snap shot at 12:29. The goal was Kempe’s team-high 35th of the campaign.
With Kokko pulled for an additional skater, McMann fired a wrist shot from the slot at 17:33 to bring Seattle within one goal.
Laferriere sealed the win with an empty-net goal at 19:58.
