LA Kings lose home opener to the Pittsburgh Penguins 4-2 as NHL season starts- Oct. 2025

October 17, 2025 todd elliot

Kings Blow 2–0 Lead, Fall in home opener 4–2 to Penguins at Crypto.com Arena

The LA Kings dropped their third straight game on October 16, losing 4–2 to the Pittsburgh Penguins at Crypto.com Arena in frustrating fashion.

First Period: A Promising Start

Los Angeles came out sharp. Warren Foegele opened the scoring off a rebound, giving the Kings a 1–0 lead. Not long after, Kevin Fiala finished a slick passing play from Quinton Byfield to make it 2–0. At that point, the Kings seemed in full control.

Second Period: Momentum Shifts Quickly

Pittsburgh responded just before the midway mark of the second. Evgeni Malkin buried a power-play goal through the five-hole on Anton Forsberg, cutting the deficit to 2–1. Just 41 seconds later, Connor Dewar found the back of the net off a loose puck to tie the game 2–2.

Suddenly, the Kings’ early momentum had vanished.

Third Period: Hallander Breaks Through, Crosby Closes

The turning point came on a Kings power play. Filip Hallander scored his first career NHL goal with a gritty, shorthanded effort, jamming in a rebound from Rickard Rakell to give Pittsburgh a 3–2 lead.

Despite a flurry of chances late in the game, the Kings couldn’t capitalize. In the final minute, Sidney Crosby scored an empty-netter to seal the 4–2 comeback victory for the Penguins.

Additional Notes

This was the third consecutive loss for the Kings.
Anze Kopitar missed the game with a lower-body injury.
Darcy Kuemper also did not suit up, which led to Anton Forsberg getting the start in goal.
The Kings reacquired goaltender Pheonix Copley from Tampa Bay to help reinforce the position.
Quinton Byfield had several prime scoring opportunities but couldn’t convert.
The Kings generated quality chances throughout the game but were ultimately undone by defensive breakdowns and a surging Penguins attack.

After a strong opening period, the Kings couldn’t sustain their level of play, allowing four unanswered goals and letting another winnable game slip away.

For more coverage, visit the official Kings website: www.LAKings.com