Kings Fall 4-3 to Canadiens Despite Late Lead

Los Angeles unable to hold on after taking third-period advantage

Published on Mar. 8, 2026

Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›

The LA Kings were unable to make a third-period lead stand up, as they fell by a 4-3 final score against the Montreal Canadiens on Saturday evening at Crypto.com Arena. Los Angeles opened the scoring through the top line, but Montreal rallied to take a late lead, which they would not relinquish.

Why it matters

This loss is a tough one for the Kings, who had played well for much of the game and seemed poised to secure two crucial points in the playoff race. The collapse in the final minutes highlights the fine margins in the NHL, where even a dominant performance can be undone by a few lapses.

The details

The Kings took a 1-0 lead in the first period on a goal by Anze Kopitar, but Montreal tied it early in the second. The Canadiens then took a 2-1 lead late in the middle frame before the Kings battled back to make it 2-2 heading into the third. Los Angeles regained the lead at 3-2 early in the third, but Montreal scored twice in a 49-second span to stun the Kings and take a 4-3 advantage that they would hold onto for the victory.

  • The Kings opened the scoring in the first period.
  • Montreal tied the game early in the second period.
  • The Canadiens took the lead late in the second period.
  • The Kings tied the game before the second intermission.
  • Los Angeles regained the lead early in the third period.
  • Montreal scored twice in 49 seconds to take a 4-3 lead late in the third period.

The players

Anze Kopitar

The Kings' captain scored his seventh goal of the season to open the scoring. Kopitar now has 1,304 career points, just three shy of the franchise record.

Scott Laughton

Laughton scored his first goal as a member of the Kings after being traded to the team.

Alex Laferriere

Laferriere scored his 16th goal of the season, the fifth-most points on the team.

Brandt Clarke

The defenseman recorded two assists, surpassing his career-high in points with 34 on the season.

Juraj Slafkovsky

The Canadiens forward scored two goals, including the game-winner, in the comeback victory.

Got photos? Submit your photos here. ›

What they’re saying

“I think that's one that we definitely want to have two points from. I thought we outplayed them pretty much for 59 minutes of the game. It definitely stings a little bit, but I think we've got to learn from this one.”

— Scott Laughton, Kings Forward (lakingsinsider.com)

“When the game's on the line, you got to make plays. With six minutes to go, their top guys made plays. We did a lot of good things. To a man, we worked, we checked, their goalie made a lot of saves, and it's part of the NHL.”

— D.J. Smith, Interim Kings Head Coach (lakingsinsider.com)

What’s next

The Kings will look to bounce back quickly as they embark on a crucial road trip, with their next game coming on Tuesday against the Boston Bruins.

The takeaway

This loss is a tough one for the Kings, who had played well for much of the game but were ultimately undone by a late collapse. While the team can take positives from their overall effort, they will need to learn from this experience and find a way to close out games if they want to solidify their playoff position down the stretch.