Brief

Kings rally past Capitals 5-2 for first win of season

Adrian Kempe’s two goals helped the Los Angeles Kings earn their first victory, overcoming an early 2‑0 deficit against the Washington Capitals.

By Felo News Desk · Published Wed, 21 Oct 2026 15:28:16 GMT

Adrian Kempe scored twice as the Los Angeles Kings rallied from an early two‑goal deficit to beat the Washington Capitals 5‑2 on Tuesday night, earning the Kings their first win of the 2026‑27 NHL season, according to the Associated Press.

What happened

The Capitals took a 2‑0 lead in the first period on a power‑play goal by Cole Hutson with 1:25 left. Kempe answered less than a minute later, and Artemi Panarin added a goal two seconds before intermission to tie the game. In the third period, Erik Gustafsson scored on the power play at 7:28, Kempe netted his second goal midway through the period, and Scott Laughton sealed the win with an empty‑netter, giving Los Angeles its highest‑scoring game of the season.

What the report adds

The article notes that the Kings had scored only four goals in their previous four games and 12 goals in six games before this win. It also records that Quinton Byfield left the game after 2:44 due to an upper‑body injury, and that former Capitals goaltender Darcy Kuemper made 30 saves for Washington, while Logan Thompson stopped 21 shots for the Capitals.

What was said

No direct quotes were provided in the source.

How it came about

The Kings entered the matchup struggling offensively, having scored just four goals over their prior four contests. Their victory follows a pattern of early‑season turnarounds highlighted in recent Felo News coverage of other teams breaking winless starts, such as the Hurricanes’ first win on Oct. 4.

Key facts

Adrian Kempe scored two goals for the Los Angeles Kings. (winnipegfreepress.com)
The Kings defeated the Washington Capitals 5-2. (winnipegfreepress.com)
The win was the Kings' first of the 2026‑27 season. (winnipegfreepress.com)
Quinton Byfield left the game with an upper‑body injury after 2:44 of play. (winnipegfreepress.com)
Darcy Kuemper made 30 saves for Washington; Logan Thompson made 21 saves. (winnipegfreepress.com)