Anze Kopitar scored twice to become the all-time points leader in Los Angeles Kings history, but Jack Hughes scored the go-ahead goal late in the third period that sparked the host New Jersey Devils to a wild 6-4 victory on Saturday in Newark, N.J.
Nico Hischier scored twice in a four-point performance, Arseny Gritsyuk and Timo Meier both collected one goal and one assist and Cody Glass added a single for the Devils, who snapped a two-game skid.
New Jersey goaltender Jake Allen made 27 saves.
Kopitar, who announced this will be his final NHL season — all 20 with Los Angeles — netted his 1,308th career point to move ahead of Marcel Dionne’s total for the Kings.
Artemi Panarin scored once in a three-point game, Taylor Ward tallied once and Brandt Clarke collected three assists for the Kings, who are battling for the Western Conference’s final wild-card spot.
Goalie Anton Forsberg stopped 22 shots.
With overtime looming, Hughes potted the difference-maker on the power play by converting a one-timer from the right circle with 2:29 remaining in regulation time.
Meier’s empty-net goal sealed the victory in the back-and-forth clash.
The Devils, who are all but mathematically eliminated from playoff contention, staked a 2-0 lead. Glass opened the scoring with a wobbly shot from the slot at 7:58 of the first frame, and Hischier doubled the lead three minutes later by burying the rebound off his own deflected chance.
The Kings regrouped at the intermission and took the lead in the second period.
Kopitar kicked off the comeback on the power play by redirecting Clarke’s cross-ice pass to the doorstep at 4:15 of the frame.
Panarin tied the clash less than two minutes later with a top-shelf shot from the high slot.
Ward gave the Kings the lead with a one-timer from the point at 11:43 of the period.
Then it was New Jersey’s turn to cue a comeback with a four-goal final period. Gritsyuk evened the affair 25 seconds into the third period by batting home a Lenni Hameenaho pass during a 2-on-1 rush.
Hischier’s second of the game, a power-play marker from pouncing on a loose puck, put the Devils ahead again at 12:42 of the period.
Kopitar tied the clash 4-4 with another power-play goal, a fluttering one-timer from the right circle 60 seconds later, but the Kings could not find another go-ahead goal.
–Field Level Media
