LA Kings end 4 game losing streak vs NY after tough losses vs Dallas & Anaheim back to back- Jan 2026

Stars Outlast Kings at Crypto.com Arena as LA’s Offensive Woes Continue

Dallas Stars at Los Angeles Kings – January 12 | Crypto.com Arena

The Dallas Stars skated out of Crypto.com Arena on January 12 with a road victory over the Los Angeles Kings, in a game that once again underscored the home team’s ongoing struggles to generate consistent offense.

Despite decent effort and stretches of puck possession, the Kings turned in a largely lackluster performance. Scoring chances were limited at even strength, execution around the net was inconsistent, and an assortment of injuries to key forwards continues to put the team in a difficult situation.

Game Flow & Key Moments

Dallas played a disciplined road game, staying patient and waiting for mistakes. The Kings briefly found life on the power play when Dustin Byfield scored the team’s only goal, finishing a wide-open look on the man advantage after crisp puck movement opened up the Stars’ penalty kill.

However, that spark was short-lived.

Late in the third period, Jason Robertson, the Stars’ local Southern California star, delivered the decisive blow, scoring the game-winning goal to put Dallas ahead for good and deflate the home crowd.

Offensive Struggles & Injury Impact

Outside of the power-play conversion, the Kings had significant trouble creating dangerous chances. At five-on-five, the offense stalled repeatedly, allowing Dallas to defend comfortably without being forced out of structure.

The absence of multiple injured forwards has clearly disrupted line chemistry and depth scoring. Without consistent secondary production, the Kings have been overly reliant on special teams and isolated opportunities — a formula that has not been sustainable.

Goaltending

• Los Angeles Kings: Darcy Kuemper was steady in net, making several key saves to keep the game close, but once again received minimal goal support.
• Dallas Stars: Jake Oettinger was composed and efficient, turning aside the majority of LA’s attempts and giving the Stars confidence to play a controlled defensive game.

Goaltending was not the issue for Los Angeles; offense remains the primary concern.

Front Office Watch: Scoring Help Likely Needed

After the game, I spoke briefly with Kings GM Luc Robitaille. While he offered no specifics, there is growing belief around the team that a move for a front-line scoring forward could be coming in the near future.

No names were mentioned, but one personal prediction to keep an eye on is Dustin Byfield, who, despite elite speed and raw tools, has underachieved overall and made too many costly mistakes away from the puck. While he did score on the power play in this game, his inconsistency at even strength could make him part of a larger trade discussion if the Kings decide to reshape their offensive core.

Final Take

This was a winnable home game for the Kings, but familiar problems resurfaced: difficulty scoring at five-on-five, injuries thinning the forward group, and an inability to build momentum after key moments. Dallas, by contrast, stayed patient, structured, and opportunistic — finishing the night with Robertson’s timely winner.

Unless the Kings find answers soon — either internally or through a trade — these types of results are likely to continue.

---

Ducks 2, Kings 1 (OT) at Honda Center — Anaheim completed the weekend sweep after winning 3-2 in a shootout the previous night in Los Angeles.

---

 Game Flow & Key Moments

First Period

• The Ducks struck first at 6:11, with Mason McTavish ripping a shot past Kings goaltender Anton Forsberg for his 12th of the season, giving Anaheim an early 1-0 lead.

Second Period

• Los Angeles kept battling and eventually got on the board. On a power play — one of many opportunities the Kings had — Adrian Kempe buried a one-timer from the right circle, tying the game 1-1. The Kings had multiple power play chances but couldn’t capitalize beyond this goal.

Third Period

• Neither team could find the net as both defenses tightened up, and the game remained tied heading to overtime.

Overtime

• Early in OT, the Kings’ Drew Doughty took a hooking penalty, putting LA in a short-handed situation. But rather than backing off, the Ducks kept the pressure on.
• A critical sequence unfolded when Kevin Fiala had a breakaway but lost the puck; the Kings’ inability to close out cleanly led to another Ducks chance.
• Rookie forward Beckett Sennecke made an incredible defensive play — back-checking hard, forcing a turnover and then making a precise backhand pass ahead. Sennecke’s hockey IQ and effort set up Mikael Granlund, who finished it off with a shot past Forsberg at 4:02 of overtime for the game-winning goal and the Ducks’ 2-1 victory.

---

 Tactical Takeaways

Kings’ Defensive Struggles

• Turnovers and stretch plays haunted LA throughout OT. In three-on-three, possession and transition control are key — areas where the Kings repeatedly gave up the puck and let Anaheim generate chances. Anaheim’s OT goal came directly from that kind of turnover.
• LA’s defensive breakdowns, especially on Fiala’s lost breakaway possession, showed poor puck management in critical moments.

Power Play Woes

• Although LA had several power play opportunities and managed one goal from Kempe, they couldn’t find that second goal that would’ve swung momentum and potentially won the game in regulation.

Anaheim’s Opportunistic Play

• McTavish’s early goal set the tone for Anaheim to play with confidence.
• Sennecke’s effort — both defensively and on the overtime winner — highlighted the Ducks’ energy and depth. Mikael Granlund’s finish ended LA’s hopes and capped off a full-weekend sweep.

---

 Summary

• The Kings once again faltered in clutch situations, falling in overtime after another tight defensive battle.
• Special teams were a mixed bag: LA got on the board with a power play goal, but couldn’t convert repeatedly; Anaheim survived and executed when it mattered most.
• The Ducks’ McTavish and Granlund scored Anaheim’s goals, with the latter’s overtime tally delivering the win. Sennecke’s defensive awareness and timely pass were pivotal in the decisive play.