Byfield scores in overtime, Kings end 5-game skid with 2-1 win over Blues

Quinton Byfield's overtime goal lifts the LA Kings to a 2-1 victory over the St. Louis Blues, snapping a five-game losing streak. Anze Kopitar also scored, while Darcy Kuemper made 19 saves.

DAN GREENSPAN, Associated Press

Los Angeles Kings right wing Quinton Byfield, left, scores a game-winner on St. Louis Blues goaltender Joel Hofer during overtime of an NHL hockey game, Saturday, March 8, 2025, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)ASSOCIATED PRESS

Los Angeles Kings right wing Quinton Byfield celebrates after scoring a game-winner during overtime of an NHL hockey game against the St. Louis Blues, Saturday, March 8, 2025, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)ASSOCIATED PRESS

Los Angeles Kings center Anze Kopitar celebrates his goal during the first period of an NHL hockey game against the St. Louis Blues, Saturday, March 8, 2025, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)ASSOCIATED PRESS

Los Angeles Kings right wing Alex Laferriere, left, runs into St. Louis Blues goaltender Joel Hofer as he tries to score during the second period of an NHL hockey game, Saturday, March 8, 2025, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)ASSOCIATED PRESS

Los Angeles Kings right wing Alex Laferriere, left, tries to score on St. Louis Blues goaltender Joel Hofer during the second period of an NHL hockey game, Saturday, March 8, 2025, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)ASSOCIATED PRESS

St. Louis Blues center Jordan Kyrou, left, shoots the puck as Los Angeles Kings goaltender Darcy Kuemper makes a stop during the first period of an NHL hockey game, Saturday, March 8, 2025, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)ASSOCIATED PRESS

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Quinton Byfield scored on a wrist shot 27 seconds into overtime to give the Los Angeles Kings a 2-1 win over the St. Louis Blues on Saturday night.

Byfield got his 13th goal of the season, capitalizing on a turnover forced by Adrian Kempe before scoring from the left circle to end the Kings' five-game skid.

Anze Kopitar had a goal, Darcy Kuemper made 19 saves, and Los Angeles picked up a win in three games against St. Louis in the past eight days.

Nick Leddy scored and Joel Hofer made 21 saves, helping the Blues pick up a point for the 11th time in 13 games to surge back into wild-card contention.

Leddy's first goal of the season came early in the third period on a slap shot through traffic, cancelling out Kopitar's tip of a shot from Drew Doughty late in the first.

Takeaways

Blues: Hofer was crucial in helping St. Louis get to overtime by stopping all 12 shots in the third, including dangerous chances from Byfield and Alex Laferriere midway through the period.

Kings: Andrei Kuzmenko made his Los Angeles debut one day after being acquired in a trade from Philadelphia, but the erratic 29-year-old winger couldn't help his new team's struggling power play, which went 0 for 2.

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Key moment

Kempe's timely pressure took the puck off of Dylan Holloway early in overtime, allowing Byfield to build up some momentum and score for the second straight game.

Key stat

Kopitar and Doughty factored on the same goal for the 307th time to tie Sidney Crosby and Kris Letang for second-most by a forward and defenseman combination in NHL history.