The Los Angeles Kings edged out the Seattle Kraken in a high-octane 6-5 thriller at Climate Pledge Arena, capping Seattle’s season with a dramatic, nearly successful comeback that left fans on the edge of their seats.
Samuel Helenius was the unexpected hero for Los Angeles, netting two goals in his first career multi-goal NHL game. The Kings, resting several key players, jumped to an early 2-0 lead, but Seattle clawed back with a shorthanded goal from Tye Kartye and a power-play tally by Brandon Montour to tie it up early in the second period.
Los Angeles responded with a flurry—four unanswered goals, including strikes from Warren Foegele, Alex Laferriere, Adrian Kempe, and Helenius again, putting the Kings up 6-2 with just minutes left in regulation. The Kraken, refusing to fold in their home finale, surged with three late goals from Jaden Schwartz, Matty Beniers, and Eeli Tolvanen, closing the gap to 6-5 with just seconds remaining.
Despite the late push, Seattle couldn’t find the equalizer. Goalie David Rittich’s saves proved decisive as the Kings tied their franchise record for wins in a season and locked in home-ice advantage for the first round of the playoffs. For the Kraken, the loss marked the end of a challenging season, but the raucous Seattle crowd showed unwavering support until the final buzzer.
