Kopitar honored as Predators edge Kings in 8-round shootout
kopitar was part of the spotlight before the puck dropped in Los Angeles on Thursday night, when the Kings honored Anze Kopitar for his 20-year career and team scoring record. The Nashville Predators then recovered from blowing a three-goal lead to beat the Kings 5-4 in an eight-round shootout at Crypto. com Arena. Luke Evangelista ended it for Nashville in the eighth round, and the result tightened the Western Conference playoff race.
Predators survive a wild finish
Nashville jumped ahead early and looked in control before Los Angeles clawed all the way back. Filip Forsberg scored in the opening minute, Zachary L’Heureux added another before the first period was done, and Steven Stamkos later scored for the Predators, who also got a goal and an assist from Jonathan Marchessault.
The Kings answered with a push that changed the pace of the game. Adrian Kempe scored twice, Joel Armia added a goal and an assist, and Los Angeles forced extra time after rallying from 3-0 down. Darcy Kuemper made 31 saves for the Kings, while Juuse Saros stopped 29 shots for Nashville before a perfect shootout.
kopitar ceremony sets the tone before the game
The pregame moment centered on kopitar, with the Kings recognizing their captain after he became the franchise’s all-time points leader. That ceremony framed a night that carried playoff urgency for both clubs, even before the first faceoff.
Nashville forward Steven Stamkos described the atmosphere as one driven by the standings and the stakes. “At this time of the year, it’s about getting points, and we gained a point on a team that we are chasing, so we’ll certainly take it, ” Stamkos said. He added that the game had an elevated feel and said it was close to a playoff game in the way both teams were fighting for their seasons.
Eight rounds, one opening, one finish
The shootout turned into a long test of patience. The first 15 skaters failed to score before Evangelista ended it with a deke and a backhand for his first shootout goal of the season. Saros finished the job by turning in a perfect eight-round shootout for Nashville.
Kings interim coach D. J. Smith called it “a tale of two games completely, ” noting that Los Angeles controlled the second half after Nashville dominated the start. The result left Nashville, Los Angeles and San Jose level at 79 points for the second wild-card spot in the West, with San Jose holding a game in hand after beating Toronto earlier Thursday.
For Nashville, the win snapped a three-game skid and opened a five-game West Coast swing with a result that could matter later. The Predators face San Jose next before meeting the Kings again on Monday, and the pressure around kopitar’s night quickly shifted into a playoff race that is still wide open.
