Sloppy performance leads to embarrassing 7-0 loss for Kings

BUFFALO, N.Y. —  Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen stopped 33 shots for his fourth career shutout and Jordan Greenway scored twice and added an assist to lead the Buffalo Sabres to a 7-0 rout of the Kings on Tuesday night.

Rasmus Dahlin, JJ Peterka and Alex Tuch each had a goal and assist to help the Sabres end a three-game home skid in which they combined to score three times. Kyle Okposo and Zach Benson also scored in an outing the slow-starting Sabres flipped the script by scoring the opening goal for the first time in eight outings, and holding a lead after 20 minutes for the first time in 11.

The seven goals were the most by Buffalo since a 9-3 win over Toronto on Dec. 21.

Luukkonen’s best stop came during a Kings power-play chance with 4 minutes left in the second period, when he lunged to his left to stop Adrian Kempe’s one-timer from the right circle.

The shutout was Luukkonen’s fourth this season, the most in one year by a Sabres goalie since Ryan Miller had six in 2011-12.

The Kings were flat and sloppy through most of an outing in which they provided little support for goalie David Rittich, who finished with 12 saves after playing the first two periods. The seven goals against were a season high for the Kings, who entered the day having given up 127 goals, the second fewest in the NHL. It was the most goals they had given up since a 9-8 overtime loss to Seattle on Nov. 29, 2022.

Coming off a 4-0 win over Edmonton in interim coach Jim Hiller’s debut on Saturday, the Kings fell back into the inconsistencies that led to the team firing Todd McLellan. The Kings are 4-9-6 in their last 19.

Peterka opened the scoring 4:25 in when his initial shot from the slot was stopped by Rittich, but the puck leaked out behind the goalie. Peterka circled the net and swept in his own rebound.

Greenway scored 12 minutes later by intercepting Drew Doughty’s ill-advised pass through the middle of his own zone. Okposo scored a power-play goal by deflecting in Dylan Cozens’ shot with 35 seconds left in the first.

Buffalo scored twice in the second period and added two in the third, leaving the crowd chanting, “We want eight!”

The outing marked just the 11th time this season Buffalo has held a lead after the first period, improving to 10-0-1 in that category. Only the San Jose Sharks have had fewer games — they began the day 5-2-2 — with a lead after 20 minutes.

Up next

Kings: Continue four-game trip at the New Jersey Devils on Thursday night.