The Los Angeles Kings (3-3-0) narrowly squeaked out a 3-2 overtime win against the Dallas Stars (3-3-1) after a goal from winger Adrian Kempe less than a minute into the extra period.

On a two-on-one scenario, center Quinton Byfield fed Kempe for a one-timer at the right circle, and the lefty made no mistake in Dallas, finishing off the game and adding on his fourth goal of the year. 

The newest additions in Los Angeles, winger Corey Perry and defenseman Cody Ceci, both scored their first goals for the Kings. Both Perry and Ceci have made stops in Dallas to play for the Stars. Ceci played the latter half of last season with Dallas, while Perry most recently suited up with the Stars in 2019-2020, when the team went to the Stanley Cup Finals, but lost in six games to the Tampa Bay Lightning.

Perry lit the lamp on a five-on-three power play with just over a minute left in the first period to give Los Angeles the 1-0 lead heading into the intermission. Up to that point, Los Angeles had only managed three shots in the other 18 minutes of the period, with Dallas truly dominating the whole time. On the two-man advantage, the Kings had all the pressure on the Stars with numerous great one-time chances from winger Kevin Fiala. It was Fiala who had the primary assist on Perry’s goal, after taking a hard shot from the top of the right circle, which was initially saved by Dallas goaltender Jake Oettinger. Perry, who has adapted the role of a net front presence on the power play, tapped in the open rebound to put L.A. on the scoreboard first.

Kings goaltender Darcy Kuemper played a fantastic game, stopping 29 of the 31 shots that he faced, including one only two minutes into the second period off winger Mikko Rantanen. After a shot from the point was blocked down in the low slot, Rantanen ripped another shot, which was gloved down with flash from Kuemper. From a team that was so defensively sound last year, the Kings were heading into the season relying on Kuemper to remain the dominant force he was at the end of last season. 

Five minutes into the second period, winger Jason Robertson scored his third goal of the season to tie the game at one. After a broken play in the middle of the ice, the puck popped out to Robertson at the top of the left circle, who let a wrister fly and found the back of the net.

The Kings responded only 90 seconds later with Ceci scoring to give L.A. the 2-1 lead. The only five-on-five goal of the game as well, Ceci took a slap shot from the point that was deflected off a Dallas player, which crept to the top right corner past Oettinger, who was screened in front. 

Stars’ center Wyatt Johnson tied the game up at two, two-and-a-half minutes into the third period on the power play. After a pass in front by Rantanen was tipped by Hintz to the back post, Johnson had a wide-open net to shoot at and knocked in the equalizer for Dallas early in the third period.

Both teams would hold firm defensively until the end of regulation, before Kempe took over in overtime, handing the Stars their fourth straight loss, and moving the Kings’ win streak up to two games.

Los Angeles hits the halfway point of their road stretch as they head to Nashville to play the Predators at 5 p.m. on Saturday, October 25.Â