Kings' playoff hopes take another hit with loss to Utah

Kings struggle at home, fall further behind in wild-card race with 9 games left

Mar. 29, 2026 at 4:04am

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The Los Angeles Kings' push for a fifth straight playoff berth took another hit with a 6-2 loss to the Utah Mammoth at home. The Kings are now a point out of a wild-card spot with nine games remaining, and their struggles at home this season - only the Vancouver Canucks and New York Rangers have been worse - don't bode well as they begin a critical seven-game homestand.

Why it matters

The Kings are running out of time to secure the final wild-card playoff spot in the Western Conference, and this loss to a fellow bubble team in Utah is a significant setback. The Kings have also struggled mightily in overtime and shootout games this season, a trend that has put them in a precarious position in the standings.

The details

The Kings fell behind early and never recovered, giving up two goals in the first period and four in the game to the Mammoth. Despite having a chance to move into a playoff position, the Kings came out flat and were routed at home. The loss was the Kings' seventh in their last 10 games and ninth in their last 14 since a coaching change.

  • The Kings' loss to Utah came on March 28, 2026.
  • The Kings are now a point out of a playoff spot with 9 games remaining in the regular season.

The players

Alexander Kerfoot

A fourth-line winger for the Utah Mammoth who scored two goals in the win over the Kings.

Logan Cooley

A forward for the Utah Mammoth who scored two goals, including an acrobatic power-play goal, in the win over the Kings.

Anze Kopitar

The veteran center for the Los Angeles Kings who scored one of their two goals in the loss.

Adrian Kempe

A forward for the Los Angeles Kings who scored their second goal in the loss.

Darcy Kuemper

The starting goaltender for the Los Angeles Kings who was pulled after giving up four goals on the night.

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What they’re saying

“Despite all that the Kings took the ice against Utah with a chance to move back into a playoff spot, only to play with little urgency, falling behind for good less than 2½ minutes after the opening faceoff.”

— Kevin Baxter, Author

What’s next

The Kings will look to bounce back during their critical seven-game homestand, with two key games against the Nashville Predators, the team currently holding the second wild-card spot in the West.

The takeaway

The Kings' playoff hopes are hanging by a thread after this disappointing loss at home to a fellow bubble team. They will need to find a way to turn things around quickly, both at home and in overtime/shootout games, if they want to extend their postseason streak to five straight years.