Anze Kopitar scores natural third-period hat trick to rally the Kings over the Sabres

BUFFALO, N.Y. (AP) — Anze Kopitar scored a natural hat trick in the third period to rally the Los Angeles Kings to a season-opening 3-1 win over the Buffalo Sabres on Thursday night.

Darcy Kuemper stopped 32 shots in an outing where the Kings overcame a 1-0 deficit. Kopitar tied the game at 1-1 by scoring 13 seconds into the third period. He scored the go-ahead goal on a power play with 1:38 left and then capped the scoring with an empty-netter.

Alex Tuch converted his own rebound on a shorthanded breakaway with 3:05 left in the second period, and Buffalo dropped to 0-3 after opening the season with two losses to New Jersey in Prague last weekend.

Kings: Missing key defenseman Drew Doughty to a broken ankle can’t explain Los Angeles’ lack of offense in a game they were being outshot 28-10 through two periods and 33-22 overall. Credit Kuemper, acquired in an offseason trade with Washington, in an outing where he stopped Ryan McLeod on a penalty shot 12:53 in, and seconds earlier made a diving stop to prevent McLeod from scoring on a wrap-around attempt.

Sabres: Scoring remains an issue for a team that managed one goal in each of its two season-opening losses to New Jersey. Buffalo’s power play is now 0-of-10 after failing on all five chances against the Kings, including a two-man advantage spanning 69 seconds in the first period.

Sabres captain Rasmus Dahlin muffing the puck at the end boards, allowing Alex Laferriere to set up Kopitar’s first goal.

26: Number of points Kopitar has in 18 season-opening games to make him the NHL’s leading active skater, and two points ahead of Alex Ovechkin, who opens the season with the Capitals on Saturday.

The Kings, on the road since Oct. 1 with preseason games at Quebec City, continue a seven-game season-opening road trip at Boston on Saturday, while the Sabres host the defending Stanley Cup champion Florida Panthers on Saturday.

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Los Angeles Kings defenseman Jordan Spence (21) carries the puck out of the zone during the first period of an NHL hockey game against the Buffalo Sabres Thursday, Oct. 10, 2024, in Buffalo, N.Y. (AP Photo/Jeffrey T. Barnes)

Buffalo Sabres center Peyton Krebs (19) looks to pass the puck during the first period of an NHL hockey game against the Los Angeles Kings, Thursday, Oct. 10, 2024, in Buffalo, N.Y. (AP Photo/Jeffrey T. Barnes)

Buffalo Sabres right wing Alex Tuch (89) celebrates his goal during the second period of an NHL hockey game against the Los Angeles Kings Thursday, Oct. 10, 2024, in Buffalo, N.Y. (AP Photo/Jeffrey T. Barnes)

Buffalo Sabres defenseman Rasmus Dahlin (26) checks Los Angeles forward Andre Lee (47) during the second period of an NHL hockey game Thursday, Oct. 10, 2024, in Buffalo, N.Y. (AP Photo/Jeffrey T. Barnes)

Los Angeles Kings goaltender Darcy Kuemper (35) looks for the puck in traffic during the first period of an NHL hockey game against the Buffalo Sabres, Thursday, Oct. 10, 2024, in Buffalo, N.Y. (AP Photo/Jeffrey T. Barnes)

Buffalo Sabres goaltender Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen (1) poke-checks the puck during the second period of an NHL hockey game against the Los Angeles Kings, Thursday, Oct. 10, 2024, in Buffalo, N.Y. (AP Photo/Jeffrey T. Barnes)

OTTAWA, Ontario (AP) — Florida's first loss of the season might have been costly, with captain Aleksander Barkov leaving with 1:10 remaining after crashing into the end boards and getting hurt.

Barkov was trying to prevent an empty-net goal when he got hurt, giving chase toward a loose puck that Ottawa's Tim Stutzle tapped into the net to seal the Senators' 3-1 win. Stutzle and Barkov got tangled up and the Florida forward — at basically full speed — crashed feet-first into the end boards, immediately grimacing in pain.

Barkov needed about a minute before he could get to his feet, then needed help from teammates Evan Rodrigues and Uvis Balinskis to get off the ice and get to the Florida locker room for evaluation.

There was no immediate word on the nature or severity of the injury. It appeared that Barkov could put no weight on his right leg, which he flexed a couple of times as he made his way off the ice.

“He's going to get looked at here tonight, and probably tomorrow as well,” Panthers coach Paul Maurice said in Ottawa after the game.

The Panthers were scheduled to fly to Buffalo on Friday afternoon and will play the Sabres on Saturday.

The play started innocently enough, with Barkov in the offensive end trying to help Florida tie the game. Down 2-1, Barkov tried a wrist shot from just inside the blue line and broke his stick in the process. The puck trickled only a few feet, then was flipped down the other end by Ottawa's Brady Tkachuk toward the empty Panthers net.

Barkov, without a stick, gave chase but couldn't stop Stutzle from scoring.

The 29-year-old Barkov — the reigning Selke Trophy winner as the NHL's best defensive forward — is in his 12th season, all with the Panthers. He was the first Finnish-born player to be the captain of a Stanley Cup champion when Florida topped Edmonton for last season's title.

The Panthers are scheduled to play two games in Barkov's homeland on Nov. 1 and 2, when they travel to Tampere, Finland for a pair of matchups against the Dallas Stars.

Barkov is the Panthers' career leader in a number of categories, including goals (266), assists (446), points (712) and game-winning goals (48).

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Florida Panthers center Aleksander Barkov (16) is unable to prevent Ottawa Senators center Tim Stutzle (18) from scoring on the empty net during the third period of an NHL hockey game, Thursday, Oct. 10, 2024 in Ottawa, Ontario. (Justin Tang/Canadian Press via AP)

Florida Panthers center Aleksander Barkov (16) is helped off the ice by teammates after crashing into the boards with Ottawa Senators center Tim Stutzle, not shown, during the third period of an NHL hockey game, Thursday, Oct. 10, 2024 in Ottawa, Ontario. (Justin Tang/Canadian Press via AP)