LOS ANGELES – It may not be Halloween quite yet, but Thursday night’s game between the Los Angeles Kings and the Detroit Red Wings had a mind-boggling energy around it. The contest ended in a 4-3 Detroit victory, how that score came to be was anything but ordinary.

It was an uneventful game from the Los Angeles Kings’ side of things that quickly turned into a nail-biter, then a white-knuckler, in a matter of minutes. The Red Wings had run up the score 3-1 by the midway point of the third period, with their second goal coming under review for high-sticking by Marco Kasper, who had tipped the puck in. Kasper’s goal came out of the review clean and the Red Wings were running away with the game.

That’s when Corey Perry stepped in. The 40-year-old NHL veteran has been a surprising spark plug for the Los Angeles offense and connected on his fourth goal of the season to chop the Detroit lead down 3-2. The horns in Crypto.Com Arena had barely stopped sounding when Perry went back-to-back with another goal to tie the game up at three with just 1:33 remaining. 

Los Angeles Kings RW Alex Laferriere (14) scores a goal during an NHL game against the Detroit Red Wings, Wednesday October 30th, 2025 in Los Angeles, California.

Nico Alba – The Sporting Tribune

Los Angeles Kings RW Alex Laferriere (14) scores a goal during an NHL game against the Detroit Red Wings, Wednesday October 30th, 2025 in Los Angeles, California.

Those fateful goals took the game from an easy Detroit road victory into a harrowing overtime battle, the seventh overtime game for the Kings this season.

The comeback appeared complete when Kevin Fiala bashed his way through the Red Wing defense and flicked the puck past Detroit goalie Cam Talbot. The arena roared, the lights flared and the Kings began to leave the ice. Then, the referees skated to center ice to make a fateful announcement.

The would-be game winner was under review for goalie interference. 

That turned into a no-goal and brought overtime marching to it’s end with the score still tied the teams bound for shootouts. Detroit got the better of Los Angeles in that department and finally come away with the 4-3 win that had evaded them in the final moments of the game. 

https://t.co/vGQ4tapAYg Arena has gone from roaring one second to stunned in another. Kevin Fiala’s would-be game winning goal in overtime was just overturned due to goalie interference. Overtime has ended tied at three and we now move to shootouts.@SportingTrib

— Jack Haslett (@Jackmagic00) October 31, 2025

Thursday night may have ended in whiplash for Kings fans, but the true head-turner this game and this season has been Perry. 

A longtime enemy of the Kings throughout his 23-season-career, most of which was played down the freeway with the Anaheim Ducks, he has now exploded as one of the Kings’ sneakiest scorers and is now tied for the team lead in goals with five. 

“I’d be lying to you if I said that I expected him [Perry] to have this many already,” Kings head coach Jim Hiller said. “We knew, playing against him long enough that he’s effective, he’s a goal scorer… Some guys, it just ends up on their stick… What an addition to our team.”

Los Angeles Kings D Brandt Clarke (92) gaining control of possession during an NHL game against the Detroit Red Wings, Wednesday October 30th, 2025 in Los Angeles, California.

Nico Alba – The Sporting Tribune

Los Angeles Kings D Brandt Clarke (92) gaining control of possession during an NHL game against the Detroit Red Wings, Wednesday October 30th, 2025 in Los Angeles, California.

To say that Perry brings a veteran presence would be an understatement considering his resume. When the Kings signed him to a one-year, $2 million contract this offseason, they were expecting respectable production and another experienced player on the team with a Stanley Cup to his name, something he has in common with his new captain Anže Kopitar. However, the preparation that he brings to his game, preparation that has kept him in the NHL for more than two decades, has set an example for his younger teammates. 

“He’s one of the guys that always goes to the net. That’s where all of his goals are from. So, it’s a lot to learn from, after practice, always working on that,” Quinton Byfield said of Perry. “So, there’s a lot, just looking at him and seeing his preparation.”

Halloween is almost here, and the scariest thing this season might be just how many goals Corey Perry puts together by it’s end.Â