By IceHockeyMan Editorial Team | 30 October 2026
Match date: 30 October 2026.
Final score: Kings 6, Senators 5.
Q. Byfield struck at 3:37 of overtime as the Kings recovered from a stunning late collapse to beat the Senators 6-5 on 30 October. Los Angeles had led 5-1 after two periods, only for Ottawa to score four times in the third and force extra time.
Game Story
The Senators made the first move when T. Kleven scored at 11:24 of the opening period, with F. Zetterlund and T. Stützle credited with the assists. The Kings answered before the interval. E. Haula levelled at 15:09, assisted by B. Clarke and D. Doughty.
Los Angeles then built what appeared to be a commanding advantage in the second period. T. Moore put the home side ahead at 6:51, with Q. Byfield and D. Doughty involved, before M. Anderson made it 3-1 at 10:17 from B. Dumoulin’s assist. J. Armia scored 37 seconds later, and A. Panarin added a fifth at 15:43.
At 5-1, the Kings had authored a sharp middle period. Ottawa, however, gave the game an entirely different shape after the restart. D. Cozens began the fightback at 7:18 of the third, assisted by T. Stützle and N. Matinpalo. D. Batherson followed 33 seconds later from J. Sanderson’s pass.
Cozens struck again at 12:34, with T. Stützle and Batherson supplying the assists, to cut the deficit to one. The Senators kept pressing and found the equaliser with 1:40 left in regulation, S. Pinto finishing a play created by Batherson and Cozens.
The Kings had to begin again in overtime. Byfield delivered the answer, scoring the winner from D. Doughty and Panarin to complete a game that travelled from an early Ottawa lead, through Los Angeles control, to a dramatic Senators recovery and an overtime finish.
Turning Point
Pinto’s goal at 18:20 of the third period changed the entire night. Ottawa had turned a four-goal deficit into a 5-5 game in little more than 11 minutes, but the Kings regained the decisive edge when Byfield scored at 3:37 of overtime.
Standout Performers
Byfield supplied a goal and an assist, including the overtime winner. Doughty finished with three assists and featured in the Kings’ first equaliser, their go-ahead goal and the decisive overtime play. For Ottawa, Cozens scored twice and added an assist, while Batherson posted a goal and two assists in the third-period rally. Stützle also recorded three assists.
Tactical Observations
The numbers reflected the Kings’ long spells of control, as they put 38 shots on the Ottawa net compared with 22 for the Senators. Los Angeles converted that territorial advantage into a 5-1 lead by the second intermission, with four second-period goals. Ottawa’s third-period scoring burst showed how quickly game state can change once a trailing side finds an early route back. The Kings did not need to recreate their earlier dominance in overtime, only one clean finish, and Byfield provided it. D. Kuemper made 17 saves in the win, while Ottawa used both S. Ersson and J. Johansson.
Coach Mark Comment
A 5-1 lead can make the last period feel like a formality, which is exactly why Pinto’s goal with 1:40 left will have been such a hard moment for the Kings to absorb. The useful response came in overtime: Byfield did not need to repair the whole third period, only take the chance in front of him when it arrived. Doughty’s assist on that goal was his third of the night, and there is something reassuring for a bench when an experienced defenceman remains part of the deciding play after such a wild swing.
What It Means
The Kings escaped with an overtime victory after allowing Ottawa to erase four goals in the third period. Byfield’s finish ensured their productive first two periods still decided the result rather than becoming the backdrop to a Senators comeback.
What Comes Next
For the Kings, the immediate question is how they carry the attacking authority of the first two periods while finding a steadier route through a late-game lead. Ottawa can take real encouragement from the third-period response, but will also look back at the four-goal hole that made the rally necessary.