Kings Fall 4-3 in Shootout Against Flyers

Panarin's late goal forces overtime, but Kings come up short in shootout

Mar. 20, 2026 at 6:50am

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The LA Kings picked up another point in overtime, but were unable to take advantage of favorable results around the Western Conference as they fell 4-3 in the shootout against the Philadelphia Flyers on Thursday evening at Crypto.com Arena. The Kings scored the only goal of the first period, but the Flyers struck back quickly in the second to tie the game. The teams traded goals in the second period before Artemi Panarin's power play goal in the third period forced overtime. Neither team scored in overtime, and the Flyers prevailed in the shootout to earn the extra point.

Why it matters

The loss is a missed opportunity for the Kings, who could have gained ground in the tight Western Conference playoff race with some of their competitors also losing. However, the Kings were able to earn a point and showed resilience in coming back to tie the game late. The performance of newcomer Artemi Panarin, who scored the game-tying goal, is also a positive sign for the Kings as they look to make a push for the postseason.

The details

The Kings opened the scoring late in the first period with a goal from Quinton Byfield, but the Flyers responded quickly in the second to tie it. The teams then traded goals, with Anze Kopitar and Noah Cates scoring, to make it 3-2 Flyers after two periods. Panarin's power play goal in the third period tied the game at 3-3 and forced overtime. Neither team scored in the extra period, leading to a shootout where the Flyers prevailed.

  • The Kings scored the only goal of the first period, coming inside the final minute of play.
  • The Flyers struck back just 26 seconds into the second period to tie the game at 1-1.
  • The Kings restored their one-goal advantage 21 seconds later as Anze Kopitar scored.
  • The Flyers scored twice in just shy of three minutes to take a 3-2 lead through 40 minutes of play.
  • Artemi Panarin scored the game-tying goal on the power play in the third period.

The players

Artemi Panarin

A forward for the LA Kings who scored the game-tying goal in the third period to force overtime. Panarin has been a key addition for the Kings, recording 15 points in his first 12 games with the team.

Anze Kopitar

The captain of the LA Kings, who scored a goal in the second period to give the Kings a 2-1 lead. Kopitar's goal was his 11th of the season and extended his point streak to four games.

Quinton Byfield

A forward for the LA Kings who scored the opening goal of the game in the first period. Byfield's goal was his 14th of the season, breaking a tie for the fourth-most goals on the team.

Trevor Moore

A forward for the LA Kings who recorded an assist on Byfield's goal. Moore has now recorded four assists and five points in his last three home games against the Flyers.

Samuel Ersson

The goaltender for the Philadelphia Flyers, who made 35 saves in the game but ultimately fell in the shootout.

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What they’re saying

“Yeah. I mean, we've lost a lot in overtime this year, so, we wish we had those points. We wish at that point tonight. Just got to keep pushing.”

— Trevor Moore, Forward

“That's why those guys are who they are. I mean, you think of some of the goals that we've given up here this season, late in games, who gets them? The best players in the league are the best players in the league for a reason and they find ways to make plays under pressure when no one else can, especially in the third period. Having a guy like Bread gives us that option.”

— D.J. Smith, Interim Head Coach

What’s next

The Kings will look to bounce back on Saturday when they host the Buffalo Sabres, who are having a strong season and won 5-0 on Thursday night.

The takeaway

While the Kings were unable to capitalize on favorable results around the Western Conference, the team showed resilience in coming back to tie the game late and earn a point. The performance of newcomer Artemi Panarin, who scored the game-tying goal, is a positive sign as the Kings continue to push for a playoff spot in the tight Western Conference race.