LOS ANGELES (AP) — Adrian Kempe scored the game-winning goal with just under six minutes left in the third period as the Los Angeles Kings secured a 2-1 victory over the Tampa Bay Lightning on Saturday night, extending their winning streak to four games.
Mikey Anderson opened the scoring for the Kings in the first period, while goaltender Darcy Kuemper turned away 34 shots to help Los Angeles hold off the Lightning for the majority of the game, keeping them off the scoresheet for the final 58 and a half minutes. The Kings have now emerged victorious in 12 of their last 16 outings.
Tampa Bay’s Captain Victor Hedman found the back of the net early in the game, just 70 seconds after the puck dropped, with a powerful shot that deflected off Anderson’s stick past Kuemper. It was Hedman’s fifth goal of the season. However, Anderson responded with a goal of his own shortly thereafter, firing a long shot through traffic to tie the game.
The Lightning, who lead the NHL in scoring, have hit a rough patch with only four goals in their current three-game losing streak. Goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy made 19 saves in the losing effort. This marks the first time in two months that Tampa Bay has dropped three consecutive games.
The decisive goal in the contest was set up by Alex Turcotte, who took advantage of a stumble by Nick Perbix in the Lightning’s zone. Turcotte outpaced Perbix to gain possession of the puck before setting up Kempe for his 19th goal of the season.
In a noteworthy milestone, Trevor Lewis returned to action for the Kings after missing 12 games due to injury, marking his 1,000th career NHL game. The 37-year-old forward, a two-time Stanley Cup champion with Los Angeles in 2012 and 2014, rejoined the team last season after a three-year absence.
Looking ahead, the Lightning will face off against the Anaheim Ducks on Sunday night, while the Kings will enjoy a three-day break before hosting the Calgary Flames on Wednesday night.
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