Los Angeles finally found its finishing touch in Washington, erasing a two-goal first-period hole before rolling to a 5-2 win over the Capitals at Capital One Arena on Tuesday. Adrian Kempe scored twice, Artemi Panarin posted a goal and two assists, and Darcy Kuemper stopped 30 shots as the Kings collected their first victory of the season and Peter Laviolette earned his first win behind their bench.
The Kings arrived at 0-4-2 and had managed only one goal in each of their previous four outings. They changed the feel of the night with two strikes in the final 33 seconds of the opening period, then controlled the decisive moments in the third.
“A losing stretch can happen at any point in a season, but it gets much bigger when it comes right at the start,” Kuemper said. “Getting this one feels good. Now we have to build on it.”
Late first-period burst changes the game
Washington had put together a 2-0 advantage and appeared headed into the intermission in command.
Ryan Leonard opened the scoring at 9:25 of the first period, cutting across the high slot before beating Kuemper with a screened snap shot. Leonard credited the traffic around the crease for giving him the lane.
Cole Hutson doubled the lead on the power play at 18:35. After getting around Alex Laferriere at the blue line, Hutson drove down the middle and snapped a shot home from near the right circle.
But Kempe got Los Angeles on the board at 19:27, taking Panarin’s feed on a 2-on-1 and firing from the left faceoff dot. Just 31 seconds later, Panarin made it 2-2. Mikey Anderson forced Jonny Brodzinski into a turnover along the left boards, and Panarin buried the loose puck from the left circle with two seconds left in the period.
“You think you are getting through the first in a good spot, then they get two and the momentum turns completely,” Capitals forward Tom Wilson said.
Kuemper holds the line before Kings pull away
Kuemper’s biggest stop came with the score even in the second period. During 4-on-4 play at 10:51, he moved across the crease to deny defenseman Jakob Chychrun at the right post.
Kuemper said he recognized Chychrun waiting on the back side after Washington made the initial seam pass and knew he would need to get across quickly if the puck reached him.
Los Angeles grabbed the lead for good at 7:28 of the third. Erik Gustafsson carried the puck through the neutral zone, split two Capitals defenders at the blue line and beat Logan Thompson after a deke, sending a shot off the goalie’s glove on the power play.
Gustafsson said he initially considered putting the puck deep, but saw Washington’s defenders standing flat-footed and took the opening himself. It was his first NHL goal since Jan. 12, 2025.
The sequence stung for Washington because the Capitals had just failed to convert on their own power play.
“That was a turning point,” Capitals coach Spencer Carbery said. “It was tied, we had a power play and did not get anything from it. Then they got one, and Gustafsson made a play.”
Kempe added his second at 11:35, converting from the right post after Panarin found him from behind Thompson’s net. Scott Laughton sealed the result with an empty-net goal at 18:15.
Panarin’s three-point performance pushed his career regular-season total against Washington to 41 points, including 15 goals and 26 assists, in 39 games.
Capitals see chances go unfinished
The Capitals fell to 5-4-0 after entering the game on a two-game winning streak. Thompson made 21 saves, while Dylan Strome felt Washington had carried much of the action but did not capitalize on its opportunities.
“For most of it, we played the game we wanted,” Strome said. “We moved through the neutral zone well and controlled play, but they made the most of their chances and we did not finish ours.”
Laviolette said the Kings will still review their defensive game, but welcomed the offensive release after the club’s difficult opening stretch.
“We will look at what needs to be cleaned up defensively,” Laviolette said. “But it was good to score some goals and put a few up.”
Los Angeles also lost forward Quinton Byfield midway through the first period to an upper-body injury. Laviolette said Byfield will be evaluated Wednesday.
