The LA Kings found themselves in a familiar position, as they battled back to force the game into overtime, though they once again came up on the wrong side of a one-goal game, a 4-3 defeat against the Utah Mammoth on Sunday evening at Delta Center.

Utah opened the scoring just over seven minutes into the game. Kings forward Samuel Helenius had a chance to clear the zone but turned the puck over deep in his own end, with Mammoth defenseman John Marino taking control. Marino fed forward Lawson Crouse in the slot and the Utah winger buried from close range, past Kings netminder Darcy Kuemper, for his 18th goal of the season and a 1-0 lead.

The Kings answered back almost immediately, capitalizing on a 3-on-1 rush to tie the game at one. Forward Quinton Byfield intercepted a loose puck in his own zone and quickly turned it around the other way, as he fed forward Alex Laferriere through the neutral zone for the odd-man attack. Laferriere kept it himself, worked his way into the right-hand circle and scored on Utah goaltender Karel Vejmelka to level the score 1-1.

Just shy of the halfway mark of the opening frame, the Mammoth moved back in front as Crouse buried his second goal of the game. After some helter skelter action, with several changes of possession, Utah gained control in the offensive zone. Forward Alexander Kerfoot threaded a pass to Crouse at the back post, where he beat Kuemper for the second time, pulling the hosts ahead 2-1.

Once again, Los Angeles answered almost immediately, tying the game at two inside the game’s opening 10 minutes. Defenseman Brandt Clarke weaved his way through the neutral zone and got a shot on net from the outside, which created a rebound. Vejmelka tried to clear the puck with a poke check, but Byfield intercepted and quickly shot into the back of the net for his 15th goal of the season and a 2-2 score.

The Mammoth scored the only goal in the second period, capitalizing on another Kings individual breakdown, to pull ahead 3-2. After a Kuemper save, defensemen Brian Dumoulin and Cody Ceci both hesitated to clear the puck, allowing Utah forward Nick Schmaltz to aggressively intercept, drive the net and bury his 25th goal of the season, giving the hosts a one-goal lead at the second intermission.

Los Angeles came back in the third period to force overtime as forward Artemi Panarin came through again with a clutch goal in the third period. Panarin weaved his way into the offensive end, onto his forehand and although his shot came from a sharp angle, it found its way through Vejmelka for the game-tying goal, extending his point streak to six games in the process.

Overtime was a similar story, however, as the Kings controlled the puck for nearly the entire frame, before a bounce off the linesman sent Utah the other way, with forward Nick Schmaltz burying the game-winning goal to earn his team the second point.

Hear from Byfield, forward Scott Laughton and Interim Head Coach D.J. Smith.

Quinton Byfield

Scott Laughton
On why the Kings have been unable to get these close games over the line
Yeah, it’s a good question. I think we battled our way back. I thought we had a great second period. Third, not much going on, Bread gets a big one there late. It just seems like we can’t get over that hump of getting the next one. So, we get a big point, obviously need two and with a team we’re trying to chase here, but we’ve got to come out strong the rest of the trip, pick up four points and keep going.

On a bittersweet second period of doing things well but coming out a goal down
For sure, but I think the room was really good in between periods. I though we made it hard on their defenseman, we created a ton of chances, we were getting to the net, had a couple tips, couple go off his mask. So we got to keep doing those things and continue to build our game throughout 60 minutes and stay on our toes in the third period and just get the get that next one.

On the message to the team from D.J. Smith
Playing hard, physical, making it hard on their D. They have a skilled group, try and make them come 200 feet. I thought we did a better job in the first, they got a couple good chances, Kuemps held us in there, they got some good slot shots. Other than that, I don’t think we gave them much, so we’re going to need to continue to do that.

On Mathieu Joseph’s game tonight, joining his line
He had a lot of juice. He was really good on the forecheck, him and Wrighter were skating. We’re going to have to get one here and kind of provide for the team, but we’ve got to keep building on our game. I thought Mojo stepped in and did a great job.

D.J. Smith
On his takeaways from tonight’s game
I thought it was a real gutsy effort by us. That’s probably our best second period of the year. You’ve got to give credit to their goalie. He made a lot of big saves, that one on Moore, especially at the end of the second. We stayed with it right to the third. We’ve had games where it’s gone the other way for us and then we get a bit of a bounce and tie it. You lose in overtime or a shootout, it’s unfortunate to lose that point, but we pick up a big point as well. We’re still in the fight.

On playing well in the second period but coming out a goal down on one bad play
It’s really hard, but things happen. I think the resiliency of the group right now to be able to get it back together and come out in the third period and play hard and find a way to score, it just shows of the leadership in that group of Dewey and Kopi, the way they have the team ready to come out in third and the way they had them ready to come out even when the game started. The guys are pushing and, in my opinion, I think eventually we’re going to get some more bounces, we haven’t had a ton, but to a man, I loved the effort.

On the Moore/Byfield/Laferriere line tonight
They’re able to play against your top line, but they’re also able to make you play defense and those guys were flying tonight. I thought that’s as good as Q has played as well, he looked dangerous all over the ice. We need that. I think Kopi, Bread and Juice are top-end players in this league. Then, you got those three young guys coming, Q, Laf and Mooresie, they were dangerous everywhere tonight. I think also the Laughton line, I thought they played a playoff style game. They put it in, they worked, they changed. They did a lot of things that maybe don’t get noticed, but winning hockey.

On Mathieu Joseph’s game tonight and if that was his best game since joining the club
Yeah, and I’ve seen him play that game. He knows his role. It’s forechecking, it’s hunting pucks, it’s getting to the net. He had a chance to score there in the second. I just made that switch and tonight, it’s his chance. The next night, it might be someone else, if they’re not going, whatever the case is, we’re going to need everybody. The two guys that didn’t play tonight, Malott and Ward, have been outstanding. We’re going to need everyone to give us a chance.

On if the overtime goal against is indicative of the way things have bounced of late
Yeah, I mean, Q makes the right play, tries to rim it out, hits a linesman skate, 2-on-1 and it’s in the net. You get a point, you’re two points out, you play that team twice, you’ve got two big games coming up on the road trip. All I can say is we’re still alive.

Notes –
– Forward Alex Laferriere (1-0=1) scored his 18th goal of the campaign this evening at Delta Center, tying Kevin Fiala (18 G) for the second-most goals among Kings skaters this season behind Adrian Kempe (26 G). Laferriere will tie his single- season career high in goals (19 G in 2024-25) the next time he finds the back of the net this season.
– Forward Quinton Byfield (1-1=2) recorded his 23rd helper of the season before scoring his 15th goal of the campaign to tie the game at a pair of goals apiece.
– With his 11th multi-point game of the season, Byfield breaks a tie with defenseman Brandt Clarke (10 GP) for the second most such games by a Kings skater this season. Additionally, Byfield (15-23=38) ties Clarke (8-30=38) for the third-most points by a Kings skater this season.
– With his effort tonight in Salt Lake City, Byfield doubles his career point totals against the Utah Mammoth and now has four points (1-3=4) in five career meetings heading into the regular season series finale between these two clubs on Saturday, March 28, at Crypto.com Arena.
– Forward Artemi Panarin (1-0=1) scored his 25th goal of the season to tie the game at three goals apiece late in the third period, extending his point streak to a sixth game (4-5=9), dating back to March 13 at the New York Islanders.
– Panarin leaves Delta Center this evening having posted eight points (6-2=8) in five career meetings with the Utah Mammoth. His six goals against Utah are the most by any player in NHL history. The native of Korkino, Russia, clinches his ninth season with at least 25 goals, becoming the 20th undrafted player in NHL history to record as many such campaigns since the draft was introduced in 1963.
– Defenseman Drew Doughty (0-1=1) picked up his 14th assist of the campaign, his sixth point (2-4=6) in four career games against the Utah Mammoth. The native of London, Ontario, trails only Mattias Ekholm (3-4=7) and Evan Bouchard (0- 7=7) for the most points by a defenseman against the NHL’s newest club.

The Kings have a scheduled day off tomorrow, after back-to-back games, and will return to the ice for morning skate on Tuesday in Calgary.