Kings captain Anze Kopitar shows his frustration after their 3-2 loss to the Seattle Kraken on Tuesday, Dec. 23, 2025, at Crypto.com Arena. (Photo by Luke Hales/Getty Images)
Kings defenseman Drew Doughty, right, skates with the puck as Seattle Kraken center Berkly Catton defends during the first period on Tuesday, Dec. 23, 2025, at Crypto.com Arena. (AP Photo/Jessie Alcheh)
Seattle Kraken left wing Tye Kartye, left, shoots the puck as Kings defenseman Brandt Clarke, right, defends during the first period on Tuesday, Dec. 23, 2025, at Crypto.com Arena. (AP Photo/Jessie Alcheh)
The Seattle Kraken’s Tye Kartye, right, challenges the Kings’ Mikey Anderson for the puck during the first period on Tuesday, Dec. 23, 2025, at Crypto.com Arena. (Photo by Luke Hales/Getty Images)
The Seattle Kraken’s Cale Fleury shoots the puck during the first period of a game against the Kings on Tuesday, Dec. 23, 2025, at Crypto.com Arena. (Photo by Luke Hales/Getty Images)
Kings goaltender Pheonix Copley tends his net during the first period of their game against the Seattle Kraken on Tuesday, Dec. 23, 2025, at Crypto.com Arena. (Photo by Luke Hales/Getty Images)
Seattle Kraken center Ben Meyers, front, skates with the puck as Kings center Samuel Helenius follows during the first period on Tuesday, Dec. 23, 2025, at Crypto.com Arena. (AP Photo/Jessie Alcheh)
Kings goaltender Pheonix Copley, center, looks on as Kings defenseman Cody Ceci, left, and Seattle Kraken left wing Tye Kartye joust for the puck during the first period on Tuesday, Dec. 23, 2025, at Crypto.com Arena. (AP Photo/Jessie Alcheh)
Seattle Kraken center Berkly Catton shoots the puck during the first period of their game against the Kings on Tuesday, Dec. 23, 2025, at Crypto.com Arena. (AP Photo/Jessie Alcheh)
The Kings’ Cody Ceci skates with the puck during the first period of their game against the Seattle Kraken on Tuesday, Dec. 23, 2025, at Crypto.com Arena. (Photo by Luke Hales/Getty Images)
Kings right wing Adrian Kempe, right, battles for the puck against Seattle Kraken defenseman Cale Fleury during the second period on Tuesday, Dec. 23, 2025, at Crypto.com Arena. (AP Photo/Jessie Alcheh)
The Kings’ Andrei Kuzmenko, right, passes the puck as the Seattle Kraken’s Berkly Catton defends during the second period on Tuesday, Dec. 23, 2025, at Crypto.com Arena. (Photo by Luke Hales/Getty Images)
The Seattle Kraken’s Chandler Stephenson, second from left, celebrates a goal by teammate Frederick Gaudreau, not pictured, during the second period of their game against the Kings on Tuesday, Dec. 23, 2025, at Crypto.com Arena. (Photo by Luke Hales/Getty Images)
Seattle Kraken center Ben Meyers, second from right, celebrates with center Frederick Gaudreau, second from left, as Kings goaltender Pheonix Copley (29) looks on during the second period on Tuesday, Dec. 23, 2025, at Crypto.com Arena. (AP Photo/Jessie Alcheh)
Kings head coach Jim Hiller looks on from the bench during the second period of their game against the Seattle Kraken on Tuesday, Dec. 23, 2025, at Crypto.com Arena. (Photo by Luke Hales/Getty Images)
The Seattle Kraken’s Frederick Gaudreau celebrates his goal with the bench during the second period of their game against the Kings on Tuesday, Dec. 23, 2025, at Crypto.com Arena. (Photo by Luke Hales/Getty Images)
The Kings’ Quinton Byfield, left, skates with the puck as the Seattle Kraken’s Adam Larsson, right, defends during the second period on Tuesday, Dec. 23, 2025, at Crypto.com Arena. (Photo by Luke Hales/Getty Images)
Seattle Kraken goaltender Joey Daccord makes a save during the second period of a game against the Kings on Tuesday, Dec. 23, 2025, at Crypto.com Arena. (AP Photo/Jessie Alcheh)
Kings left wing Andrei Kuzmenko, right, battles for the puck against Seattle Kraken defenseman Ryan Lindgren during the second period on Tuesday, Dec. 23, 2025, at Crypto.com Arena. (AP Photo/Jessie Alcheh)
The Seattle Kraken’s Jordan Eberle (7) scores a goal past Kings goaltender Pheonix Copley, middle, during the second period on Tuesday night at Crypto.com Arena. (Photo by Luke Hales/Getty Images)
Kings defenseman Cody Ceci shoots the puck during the second period of their game against the Seattle Kraken on Tuesday, Dec. 23, 2025, at Crypto.com Arena. (Photo by Luke Hales/Getty Images)
Seattle Kraken goaltender Joey Daccord, left, makes a save as defenseman Jamie Oleksiak (24) watches during the second period of their game against the Kings on Tuesday, Dec. 23, 2025, at Crypto.com Arena. (AP Photo/Jessie Alcheh)
Kings right wing Quinton Byfield, right, skates with the puck against Seattle Kraken defenseman Jamie Oleksiak (24) during the second period on Tuesday, Dec. 23, 2025, at Crypto.com Arena. (AP Photo/Jessie Alcheh)
The Kings’ Kevin Fiala (22) scores a goal past Seattle Kraken goaltender Joey Daccord (35) during the second period on Tuesday, Dec. 23, 2025, at Crypto.com Arena. (Photo by Luke Hales/Getty Images)
Kings left wing Kevin Fiala (22) celebrates with defenseman Drew Doughty (8), right wing Adrian Kempe (9), and teammates after scoring a goal as Seattle Kraken defenseman Joshua Mahura (28) skates by during the second period on Tuesday, Dec. 23, 2025, at Crypto.com Arena. (AP Photo/Jessie Alcheh)
Seattle Kraken center Matty Beniers, left, and Kings defenseman Joel Edmundson battle for the puck during the third period on Tuesday, Dec. 23, 2025, at Crypto.com Arena. (AP Photo/Jessie Alcheh)
Seattle Kraken defenseman Adam Larsson, right, and Kings defenseman Brian Dumoulin battle for a puck during the third period on Tuesday, Dec. 23, 2025, at Crypto.com Arena. (AP Photo/Jessie Alcheh)
The Kings’ Brandt Clarke, right, skates with the puck as the Seattle Kraken’s Chandler Stephenson defends during the third period on Tuesday, Dec. 23, 2025, at Crypto.com Arena. (Photo by Luke Hales/Getty Images)
Kings defenseman Brandt Clarke, right, skates toward the puck as Seattle Kraken center Chandler Stephenson defends during the third period on Tuesday, Dec. 23, 2025, at Crypto.com Arena. (AP Photo/Jessie Alcheh)
The Kings’ Andrei Kuzmenko, left, celebrates a goal with Brandt Clarke during the third period of their game against the Seattle Kraken on Tuesday, Dec. 23, 2025, at Crypto.com Arena. (Photo by Luke Hales/Getty Images)
The Kings’ Andrei Kuzmenko (96) celebrates a goal with teammates during the third period of their game against the Seattle Kraken on Tuesday, Dec. 23, 2025, at Crypto.com Arena. (Photo by Luke Hales/Getty Images)
Seattle Kraken defenseman Ryker Evans, left, passes the puck as Kings right wing Joel Armia defends during the third period on Tuesday, Dec. 23, 2025, at Crypto.com Arena. (AP Photo/Jessie Alcheh)
The Seattle Kraken’s Jordan Eberle, right, skates with the puck as the Kings’ Brian Dumoulin defends during the third period on Tuesday, Dec. 23, 2025, at Crypto.com Arena. (Photo by Luke Hales/Getty Images)
Seattle Kraken right wing Jordan Eberle, left, and Kings defenseman Cody Ceci watch the puck as defenseman Brian Dumoulin, right, skates behind them during the third period on Tuesday, Dec. 23, 2025, at Crypto.com Arena. (AP Photo/Jessie Alcheh)
The Seattle Kraken’s Matty Beniers skates with the puck during the third period of their game against the Kings on Tuesday, Dec. 23, 2025, at Crypto.com Arena. (Photo by Luke Hales/Getty Images)
The Kings’ Joel Edmundson, right, skates with the puck as the Seattle Kraken’s Matty Beniers defends during the third period on Tuesday, Dec. 23, 2025, at Crypto.com Arena. (Photo by Luke Hales/Getty Images)
Kings defenseman Brian Dumoulin, left, and Seattle Kraken right wing Jordan Eberle battle for the puck during the third period on Tuesday, Dec. 23, 2025, at Crypto.com Arena. (AP Photo/Jessie Alcheh)
Ice skaters circle a Christmas tree at an L.A. Live outdoor rink before the game between the Kings and the Seattle Kraken on Tuesday, Dec. 23, 2025, at Crypto.com Arena. (Photo by Luke Hales/Getty Images)
Kings center Alex Turcotte looks on before a game against the Seattle Kraken on Tuesday, Dec. 23, 2025, at Crypto.com Arena. (AP Photo/Jessie Alcheh)
Kings left wing Andrei Kuzmenko (96) warms up before a game against the Seattle Kraken on Tuesday, Dec. 23, 2025, at Crypto.com Arena. (AP Photo/Jessie Alcheh)
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Kings captain Anze Kopitar shows his frustration after their 3-2 loss to the Seattle Kraken on Tuesday, Dec. 23, 2025, at Crypto.com Arena. (Photo by Luke Hales/Getty Images)
LOS ANGELES — The Kings appeared to have a pair of shiny presents under their tree, with a back-to-back set at home against the last-place teams in each conference, as both opponents were undermanned due to injuries.
Instead, they got two fat lumps of coal heading into the Christmas break, as they fell to the Seattle Kraken, 3-2, on Tuesday night at Crypto.com Arena, 24 hours after losing to the Columbus Blue Jackets sans Zach Werenski.
The Kings have lost six of seven games, and though the Kraken have won three straight, that streak came on the heels of 10 defeats in 11 outings. The trend wasn’t the Kings’ friend: they were 4-0-1 in the back end of back-to-back sets, while Seattle had lost 17 such games in a row.
What the Kraken had never done in their franchise history was lose a game they led by three goals, which held true for the 73rd time on Tuesday, despite a heart-stopping shot from Kevin Fiala that dinged the crossbar as the final horn loomed.
“I’m not worried. I’m sure we’re going to get out of this, but it’s not acceptable, right now, how we’re playing, and we have to get better,” Fiala said.
Fiala and Andrei Kuzmenko scored for the Kings. Pheonix Copley made his first start since Dec. 10, 2023 and stopped 25 shots.
Jordan Eberle, Frederick Gaudreau and Ben Meyers each notched a goal for Seattle. Eeli Tolvanen chipped in two assists. Joey Daccord had 35 saves. The Kraken were battered, missing their two best defensemen in Vince Dunn and Brandon Montour as well as two top-six attackers, Jared McCann and Jaden Schwartz.
The Kings (15-12-9) have scored two goals or fewer in 20 of their 36 games. They’ve won just five of those 20 decisions. Though they had some analytical barometers to hang their hat on, special-teams excellence and consistent engagement were lacking once more.
They started the game well territorially, turning defense to offense to generate a pair of strong opportunities for Adrian Kempe. Just the same, the NHL’s two lowest-scoring teams in the first period this season produced a predictably scoreless first period.
Yet in the middle frame, things unraveled for the Kings, as their penalty kill continued to struggle and Copley’s rust corroded their efforts.
Seventy seconds into the second, Eberle struck for the third time in three periods after scoring the game-winning goal and an empty-netter in Anaheim a night earlier. After Cody Ceci took the bait of Matty Beniers in the slot, Beniers found Eberle alone in front for a pivoting shot to the far side.
That meant the Kings allowed a power-play goal for the fourth straight game. They have given up three in a game three times this season, but twice in less than two weeks. They ceded three to the Kraken on Dec. 10 and three more to the Columbus Blue Jackets on Monday night.
“That’s part of the Christmas break, those will be discussions,” Kings coach Jim Hiller said. “We have to understand if we need to do things differently or just do them better.”
Gaudreau extended Seattle’s edge at 7:26. He was closed off by Brian Dumoulin and flicked the puck harmlessly toward the net. Like an outfielder losing a high pop-up in the stadium lights, Copley missed the puck completely on what was tantamount to an own goal.
The two teams then exchanged goals to keep Seattle up 3-1 at the second intermission.
With 3:58 left in the stanza, it was end-to-end action as the Kings foiled one odd-man rush for the Kraken and then countered. Quinton Byfield had his shot blocked and a poor pinch by Drew Doughty sent the Kraken off on a two-on-one break. Meyers elected to keep the puck and beat Copley far side to make it 3-nil.
The Kings broke up Daccord’s shutout just 11 seconds later. Anže Kopitar disrupted an exchange between Daccord and defenseman Josh Mahura. That allowed Fiala to gobble up the puck and catch Daccord out of position with a backhand shot for his 13th goal, tying him with Kempe for the team lead.
Kuzmenko pulled the Kings within a goal off of Brandt Clarke’s ninth primary assist of the season, tops among Kings defensemen. Clarke spotted Kuzmenko clamoring for the puck after a line change. The vivacious Russian sprang forward for a wraparound goal. It was his third even-strength goal of the season but his second in two nights.
“It was a good moment for me. I saw the goalkeeper took one step from the net on my side, so I made a quick reaction and went behind the net,” said Kuzmenko, adding that everyone understood the last seven games had been subpar.
The Kings could not close the gap however, despite Fiala hitting the iron in the last gasps. They also had a late truncated power play and around 90 seconds of six-on-five time. They are now 13 for their last 106 on the power play, leaving them in last place in the NHL from their third game of the season onward.
“Last year we had a lot of goals, this year we don’t have a lot of goals,” Kuzmenko stated succinctly.
“We have good communication and a good connection with the coaching staff,” he added. “They’re a big help on the power play and the PK, but we go on the ice, and we don’t have good results. It’s a question for everyone in the locker room.”