LOS ANGELES — The Kings continued to exact revenge after the All-Star break, burying the Buffalo Sabres beneath four second-period goals in a 5-2 victory on Monday night at Crypto.com Arena, the Kings’ second win in as many games since the break and their 30th of the season.
They beat Buffalo on Monday and the Pittsburgh Penguins on Saturday by an aggregate score of 11-2, salvaging season-series splits against teams that they had lost to by a combined count of 12-1 in their earlier meetings this season.
Winger Adrian Kempe contributed a goal and an assist, bringing his total to a staggering seven goals during the Kings’ three-game points streak. Linemates Viktor Arvidsson (goal, two assists) and Phillip Danault (three assists) combined for six points. The Kings also got goals from defensemen Sean Walker and Matt Roy, as well as winger Arthur Kaliyev. Pheonix Copley earned the win with 27 saves.
Centers Dylan Cozens and Peyton Krebs scored academic goals for Buffalo after the game reached a 5-0 score. Craig Anderson was touched up for five goals on 28 shots.
Copley nearly posted his second straight shutout but with 9:44 showing on the clock Cozens, who recently signed a seven-year contract extension worth nearly $50 million, scored off a low wrist shot that hit Copley before squeaking through him. With 4:51 left, Krebs’ redirection on the power play saved a bit more face for the Sabres.
With 14:46 to play, the Kings added an insurance marker in bizarre fashion. A routine rim-around pass took an odd bounce off the rear boards, settling the puck inside one of Anderson’s skate blades. As he struggled to locate the puck, Kempe and Arvidsson each stabbed at it with Arvidsson ultimately depositing the puck in the net.
These two teams were scoreless through two periods in their December meeting before Buffalo piled on six goals in the final frame. On Monday, it took nearly half the match before a goal was scored. Though Buffalo possessed momentum at that…
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