LOS ANGELES (AP) — Quinton Byfield scored at 3:20 of overtime, Darcy Kuemper made 24 saves for his second straight shutout and the Los Angeles Kings beat the Nashville Predators 1-0 on Saturday night for their fifth victory in a row.
Byfield ran his goals streak to six games, beating goalie Justus Annunen off a cross-crease pass from Adrian Kempe.
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Los Angeles Kings goaltender Darcy Kuemper (35) guards his net during the first period of an NHL hockey game against the Nashville Predators Saturday, March 15, 2025, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)
Los Angeles Kings defenseman Jordan Spence (21) moves the puck past Nashville Predators center Fedor Svechkov (40) during the first period of an NHL hockey game Saturday, March 15, 2025, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)
Nashville Predators defenseman Nick Blankenburg (37) falls as he skates past goaltender Justus Annunen (29) during the second period of an NHL hockey game against the Los Angeles Kings Saturday, March 15, 2025, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)
Los Angeles Kings center Anze Kopitar (11) is defended by Nashville Predators defensemen Nick Blankenburg (37) and Andreas Englund (8) during the second period of an NHL hockey game Saturday, March 15, 2025, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)
Nashville Predators goaltender Justus Annunen (29) and defenseman Brady Skjei (76) react as Los Angeles Kings right wing Quinton Byfield (55) celebrates his overtime goal in an NHL hockey game Saturday, March 15, 2025, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)
Kuemper and the Kings were coming off a 3-0 home victory over Washington on Thursday night. He has four shutouts this season and 35 overall.
Annunen stopped 20 shots.
Predators: Michael Bunting played his second straight game after making his Nashville debut Friday night in a loss at Anaheim. Acquired from Pittsburgh last week, the forward had an appendectomy Feb. 27.
Kings: Los Angeles is 9-0-2 in its past 11 home games.
Byfield ended it with his 17th goal of the season.
Los Angeles won after having a season-low six shots on goal in the first 40 minutes.
The Predators open a three-game homestand Tuesday night against St. Louis. The Kings are at Minnesota on Monday to start a two-game trip.
AP NHL: https://apnews.com/hub/nhl
Los Angeles Kings goaltender Darcy Kuemper (35) guards his net during the first period of an NHL hockey game against the Nashville Predators Saturday, March 15, 2025, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)
Los Angeles Kings defenseman Jordan Spence (21) moves the puck past Nashville Predators center Fedor Svechkov (40) during the first period of an NHL hockey game Saturday, March 15, 2025, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)
Nashville Predators defenseman Nick Blankenburg (37) falls as he skates past goaltender Justus Annunen (29) during the second period of an NHL hockey game against the Los Angeles Kings Saturday, March 15, 2025, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)
Los Angeles Kings center Anze Kopitar (11) is defended by Nashville Predators defensemen Nick Blankenburg (37) and Andreas Englund (8) during the second period of an NHL hockey game Saturday, March 15, 2025, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)
Nashville Predators goaltender Justus Annunen (29) and defenseman Brady Skjei (76) react as Los Angeles Kings right wing Quinton Byfield (55) celebrates his overtime goal in an NHL hockey game Saturday, March 15, 2025, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)
MADRID (AP) — Atletico Madrid relinquished a two-goal lead in its 4-2 loss to Barcelona in the Spanish league on Sunday in another setback for the club after it was eliminated by Real Madrid in the Champions League.
Playing at the Metropolitano stadium four days after it lost to Madrid in a penalty shootout, Atletico led Barcelona 2-0 at halftime but conceded a pair of stoppage-time goals to waste a chance to overtake the Catalan club for second place and move within a point of league leader Madrid.
“It was a weird game, we did well in the first half and had the game under control after scoring twice,” Atletico player Marcos Llorente said. “I do think that the 120 minutes that we had to play in the Champions League made a difference, there was a letdown in the end.”
The defeat left Atletico four points behind its two rivals in the league, with Barcelona having a game in hand. Madrid won 2-1 at Villarreal on Saturday.
Lamine Yamal scored two minutes into stoppage time and Ferran Torres six minutes later to give Barcelona the gritty come-from-behind victory.
“It’s a statement win for us, allowing us to regain the lead with a game in hand,” Yamal said.
Julián Álvarez had put Atletico ahead after a breakaway just before halftime. It had been an unusual double touch by Álvarez in the penalty shootout against Madrid that led to Atletico's elimination from the Champions League on Wednesday.
Atletico added to the lead with a goal by substitute Alexander Sorloth from inside the area in the 70th. Robert Lewandowski, the league's leading scorer, gave Barcelona hope by finding the net in the 72nd, and Torres equalized with a header after a cross by Raphinha in the 78th.
“We have to congratulate them,” Atletico coach Diego Simeone said. “There was a bit of luck, which you must have sometimes. We had a few chances in counterattacks but didn’t take advantage of them. Barcelona is a great team."
Atletico beat Barcelona 2-1 when the teams met in Barcelona in their first Spanish league match of the season in December. They drew 4-4 in a first-leg match in the semifinals of the Copa del Rey last month. The second leg is in April.
Athletic Bilbao solidified its fourth place with a 1-0 win at Sevilla.
Yeray Álvarez scored with a header in the 84th to give Athletic the away victory and an eight-point gap to fifth-placed Villarreal, which has a game in hand.
It was Athletic's second win in a row after three straight matches without a victory across all tournaments. It came off a 3-1 win over Roma to reach the quarterfinals of the Europa League.
Sixth-placed Real Betis rallied from two goals down at halftime to win 3-2 at relegation-threatened Leganes, with Cucho Hernández scoring the winner in the 82nd.
The hosts had taken the lead with Dani Raba scoring in the 29th and 44th before Betis equalized through Isco in the 64th and Cédric Bakambu in the 78th.
It was the third straight victory for Betis in all competitions, and the second loss in a row for 18th-placed Leganes.
Also Sunday, ninth-placed Rayo Vallecano drew 2-2 at home with 12th-placed Real Sociedad, which is winless in six consecutive games in all competitions. Rayo is winless in five straight league matches.
AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer
Atletico Madrid's Julian Alvarez, top, heads the ball past Barcelona's Marc Casado during a La Liga soccer match between Atletico Madrid and FC Barcelona at the Metropolitano stadium in Madrid, Sunday, March 16, 2025. (AP Photo/Bernat Armangue)
Atletico Madrid's Julian Alvarez, second from left, is congratulated after scoring his side's opening goal during a La Liga soccer match between Atletico Madrid and FC Barcelona at the Metropolitano stadium in Madrid, Sunday, March 16, 2025. (AP Photo/Bernat Armangue)
Atletico Madrid's Julian Alvarez celebrates scoring his side's opening goal during a La Liga soccer match between Atletico Madrid and FC Barcelona at the Metropolitano stadium in Madrid, Sunday, March 16, 2025. (AP Photo/Bernat Armangue)
Atletico Madrid's Julian Alvarez (19) celebrates scoring his side's opening goal during a La Liga soccer match between Atletico Madrid and FC Barcelona at the Metropolitano stadium in Madrid, Sunday, March 16, 2025. (AP Photo/Bernat Armangue)
Atletico Madrid's Julian Alvarez (19) scores his side's opening goal during a La Liga soccer match between Atletico Madrid and FC Barcelona at the Metropolitano stadium in Madrid, Sunday, March 16, 2025. (AP Photo/Bernat Armangue)
Barcelona's Ferran Torres, left, is congratulated by Lamine Yamal after scoring his side's 4th goal during a La Liga soccer match between Atletico Madrid and FC Barcelona at the Metropolitano stadium in Madrid, Sunday, March 16, 2025. (AP Photo/Bernat Armangue)
Barcelona's players celebrate their side's third goal scored by Lamine Yamal during a La Liga soccer match between Atletico Madrid and FC Barcelona at the Metropolitano stadium in Madrid, Sunday, March 16, 2025. (AP Photo/Bernat Armangue)
Barcelona's players celebrate their side's 4th goal scored by Ferran Torres during a La Liga soccer match between Atletico Madrid and FC Barcelona at the Metropolitano stadium in Madrid, Sunday, March 16, 2025. (AP Photo/Bernat Armangue)
