The Los Angeles Kings (22-16-13) delivered one of their more complete team performances tonight against the Detroit Red Wings (32-17-5), beating them on the road 3-1 at Little Caesars Arena.
After losing the last matchup against the Red Wings on Oct. 30 in a shootout at home, the Kings were looking to flip the script tonight on the road.
Behind great performances from Samuel Helenius and Andrei Kuzmenko, and a late goal down the stretch from Corey Perry to seal the deal, Los Angeles showed discipline and structure tonight with their depth and beat a very good Detroit team, which was 8-1-1 over its last 10 games, starting its road trip off on a high note.
THAT'S A KINGS WIN @twiliopic.twitter.com/KeTsVQsN8P
— LA Kings (@LAKings) January 28, 2026
Scoreless First
Despite both teams starting 0-0 in the opening period, the Kings controlled possession and dictated the pace. The Kings fired 9 shots on goal, while limiting Detroit to just 5, usings trong defensive pressure and forechecking to disrupt the Red Wings' zone exits.
The fourth line of Samuel Helenius, Taylor Ward, and Jeff Malott stood out early, hounding the puck below the goal line and drawing penalties. The pressure from the Kings' line made it tough for Detroit to generate any offense, as Anton Forsberg was also great early on, turning away all five shots he faced in the opening frame.
Helenius Sets the Tone
The Kings broke the tie in the second period when Samuel Helenius scored his second goal of the season after Los Angeles won the puck battle and fed Helenius to the center, where he finished past John Gibson, giving the Kings a 1-0 lead.
BIG GOAL BIG SAMMY pic.twitter.com/pqN3GfBcYD
— LA Kings (@LAKings) January 28, 2026
Los Angeles continued to pressure Detroit in the period, forcing turnovers in all three zones. Detroit struggled to establish any rhythm offensively in the first 40 minutes of the game, while Forsberg denied several Red Wings' shots to keep the Kings ahead.
King's Power Play Delivers
The Kings extended their lead early in the third period on the power play. Andrei Kuzmenko buried the low shot that beat Gibson, with Kevin Fiala picking up the assist off the nice pass.
The goal marked Kuzmenko's 11th of the season and capped off a good movement with the puck that dismantled Detroit's penalty kill.
Meanwhile, Detroit continued to struggle on the power play, finishing the night 0-for-4, while Los Angeles went 1-for-3 and controlled the special teams battle.
POWERPLAY KUZMENKGOAL pic.twitter.com/OhZcUBNFrY
— LA Kings (@LAKings) January 28, 2026
Late Push Falls Short
Detroit finally showed some life late in the period with under two minutes remaining when Alex DeBrincat scored to cut the deficit to 2-1, infusing life into the building after the boos were heard in the stadium. However, any momentum was short-lived.
Just over a minute later, Corey Perry restored the two-goal cushion with a dagger goal after the faceoff win from Los Angeles. Perry hit the puck from deep down the ice to seal it in the empty net.
GIVE THAT GOALIE HIS HEAD TAPS pic.twitter.com/VbOfi9PvOP
— LA Kings (@LAKings) January 28, 2026
Los Angeles showed some fight today on the road, where they've been good all season, compared to at home, where they're 8-10-7, while they're 14-6-6 away from Crypto.com Arena.
The Kings were also very physical, with 21 hits to Detroit's 11 and blocked 16 shots to the Red Wings' 15. So, Los Angeles was clearly the more physical team tonight and the better defensive team, holding Detroit to just one goal for the first time in two weeks.
LA is now 2-0 in their six-game road trip and will look to continue this long stretch away from Crypto.com on Thursday against the Buffalo Sabres at 4 P.M. PT.
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