Los Angeles Kings vs Columbus Blue Jackets: Did Brian Dumoulin and Adrian Kempe turn Nationwide Arena into overtime chaos?

The Los Angeles Kings entered Nationwide Arena at 26-23 with 14 overtime losses and 5 points, and the Columbus Blue Jackets came in at 32-21 with 10 overtime losses and 4 points in a 5-4 finish. The Kings claimed the overtime decision after they carried a 2-goal first period into a game that featured 31 Kings shots and 32 Jackets shots in this Los Angeles Kings vs Columbus Blue Jackets recap.

First period

The Los Angeles Kings scored 2 goals in the first period as the Blue Jackets scored 1, setting an early 2-1 Kings edge. The Kings delivered 25 hits in the game while the Jackets finished with 12, and that physical total started showing up in the opening period. The Kings also posted a 66 percent faceoff win rate on 67 draws, and that puck control helped them spend shifts in the Columbus zone.

Second period

The Kings added 1 goal in the second period, but the Jackets answered with 2 in the same period to tighten the game. The Kings went 0-for-3 on the power play with 4 shots, while the Jackets went 1-for-4 with 11 shots on their man-advantage. Anton Forsberg finished with 28 saves on 32 shots against, and his shorthanded line included 10 saves on 11 shots against.

Third period

The Kings scored 1 goal in the third period and the Blue Jackets scored 1, keeping the teams level heading to overtime. Adrian Kempe produced 2 goals on 5 shots, and that scoring line kept the Kings even as Columbus stayed with them at even strength. Brian Dumoulin recorded 1 goal and 2 assists, and his 3-point night matched the game’s back-and-forth nature that defines what went wrong for Los Angeles Kings on special teams.

Overtime

The Kings scored 1 overtime goal after the Jackets posted 0 in the extra session, sealing the one-goal margin. The Kings’ team sheet showed 18 giveaways and 4 takeaways, while Columbus logged 15 giveaways and 4 takeaways in a possession battle that swung on one finish. The Kings logged 13 blocked shots compared with 18 for the Jackets, a defensive count that still ended with the Kings leaving with the winning goal for this Los Angeles Kings vs Columbus Blue Jackets review and post game analysis.

The Kings are scheduled to play as the away team against the Boston Bruins on 3/10/2026 at 7:00 PM EDT at TD Garden in Boston, Massachusetts. The broadcast will be available on ESPN+, NESN, and FDSW, and fans can follow along and share this article with other Kings supporters.