Sports
Elliott: Kings get a much-needed boost ahead of critical divisional road trip
The Kings’ season-high 50 shots on net produced merely two goals Saturday, both scored during power plays.
They gave up a shorthanded goal to the Ducks and committed enough giveaways to raise questions about how well they’ll fare if they replicate that during their upcoming trip to face division rivals Edmonton, Calgary, and Vancouver. For the second straight game, they were unable to produce a five-on-five goal.
The negatives are worrisome. But what mattered most to the Kings was that they conquered their shootout demons to get two points they urgently needed, prevailing 3-2 Saturday at Crypto.com Arena after scoring twice on beleaguered John Gibson during the shootout to one goal for the Ducks against David Rittich.
The victory, their eighth straight against the Ducks, wasn’t pretty. “It was kind of a grind game tonight, more than it’s been in the last couple of years against Anaheim,” Kings winger Adrian Kempe said. “Credit to them.”
The best case scenario for the Kings is that their second victory in seven shootouts this season will prove to be a confidence boost as they prepare for a challenging trip that could change their playoff positioning for the better — or for the worse.
“It was huge. Every point matters right now,” said defenseman Matt Roy, who was credited with a career-high 10 shots on goal, nearly half of the defense corps’ collective 21 shots on net. “We dug ourselves in a bit of a hole there in January so we need to take what we can get now.”
Playing without steady defenseman Mikey Anderson, whose status was listed as week to week because of an upper-body injury, the Kings’ defense was sometimes burned by the Ducks’ playmaking off the rush. The Ducks didn’t manage much sustained pressure in taking 24 shots at Rittich, but they created some problems. Defenseman Drew Doughty played 27 minutes and 34 seconds, a heavy load.
But the Kings persevered, emerging with two points that kept them close to Edmonton and ahead of the teams chasing them in the West wild-card scramble. “It was huge,” Kempe said of earning the second point by winning the shootout. “I think we deserved the two points. Maybe it wasn’t our best performance out there but it was a big win.”
Kings defenseman Vladislav Gavrikov, left, battles Ducks and center Mason McTavish for the puck in the first period Saturday.
(Ryan Sun / Associated Press)
Missing Anderson and winger Viktor Arvidsson, who was placed on long-term injured reserve Saturday because of a lower-body injury, will test the Kings’ depth. They should have enough to hold off the teams behind them, and putting Arvidsson on long-term injured reserve (which means he will miss at least 10 games and 24 days) gives them enough salary-cap relief to be able to make a move before the March 8 trade deadline.
The Kings and Ducks traded power-play goals in the first period Saturday, with Ducks winger Jakob Silfverberg scoring on a shot from the left circle at 9:33 and the Kings matching that at 15:23 on a shot by Fiala, who used Anze Kopitar as a screen. Fiala has scored a power-play goal in three straight games, a stat that Kings interim coach Jim Hiller noted happily.
“Goalscorers, they like to feel it. Once you get one, all of a sudden you’ve got a little more confidence. Instead of thinking pass, you’re thinking shot,” Hiller said. “And I think that’s what we’re seeing with Kevin.
“I thought it was one of Kevin’s better games of the year in the O zone. He looked like himself. He had a couple reverse hits. He protected the puck. He took people on, one-on-one. So I thought that was a really encouraging game for Kevin.”
Special teams play was a factor again in the second period. The Ducks took a 2-1 lead on a short-handed goal by Sam Carrick at 9:08, a shot that appeared to deflect into the net off the body of Doughty. But Doughty brought the Kings even at 14:24 by taking a few strides in and unleashing a shot that eluded Gibson at 14:24.
In the shootout, Pierre-Luc Dubois and Thousand Oaks native Trevor Moore scored for the Kings, while Leo Carlsson scored for the Ducks.
Earning two points was a relief as much as a reward for the Kings (29-17-10). But their satisfaction will be brief, with a game at Edmonton coming Monday. They set an NHL record with an 11-game road winning streak from the start of the season but stumbled through a road-heavy January. They were 3-1 on their most recent trip, to Buffalo, New Jersey, Boston and Pittsburgh.
“It’s going to be a huge road trip playing Vancouver, who we haven’t played yet, and then Calgary and Edmonton, that are two really good teams,” Kempe said. “It’s going to be a tough road trip. We’re looking forward to it.
“I think we’ve been playing well lately. We’ve been playing hard and that’s all we’ve got to do. And we’ve got to trust our game plan and just keep playing the way we’ve been playing and hopefully we can get some points on the road here.”
That one extra point they earned Saturday could make a big difference later this season. Stranger things have happened.
Sports
Becky Lynch enters exclusive WWE club with Women’s Intercontinental Championship win at WrestleMania 42
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LAS VEGAS – Becky Lynch entered an atmosphere no other WWE women’s superstar has ever reached as she won the Women’s Intercontinental Championship over AJ Lee on Saturday night at WrestleMania 42.
Lynch became the first person to hold the Women’s Intercontinental Championship three times after she pinned Lee. She first won the title against Lyra Valkyria in June 2025 and then again against Maxxine Dupri in November.
Becky Lynch celebrates with the belt after defeating AJ Lee during their women’s Intercontinental Championship match at WrestleMania 42 in Las Vegas, Nev., on April 18, 2026. (Ethan Miller/Getty Images)
She dropped the belt to Lee at the Elimination Chamber, sparking a monthslong feud with her.
Lee gave Lynch the chance at the title in the weeks prior to WrestleMania 42. But it appeared Lee played right into Lynch’s plans. Despite arguing with referee Jessica Carr for most of the match, Lynch was able to tactfully tear down a rope buckle and use it to her advantage.
Lynch hit Lee with a Manhandle Slam and pinned her for the win.
WWE STARS REVEAL WHAT MAKES WRESTLEMANIA SO SPECIAL: ‘IT’S THE SUPER BOWL OF PRO WRESTLING’
AJ Lee reacts after losing to Becky Lynch in their Women’s Intercontinental Championship match at WrestleMania 42 at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas on April 18, 2026. (Ethan Miller/Getty Images)
It’s the second straight year Lynch will leave Las Vegas as champion. She returned to WWE at WrestleMania 41, teaming with Valkyria, to win the women’s tag titles. She will now leave Allegiant Stadium as the women’s intercontinental champion.
Lynch is now a seven-time women’s champion, three-time women’s intercontinental champion and two-time tag team champion.
Becky Lynch withstands AJ Lee during their Women’s Intercontinental Championship match on night one of WrestleMania 42 at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, Nev., on April 18, 2026. (Ethan Miller/Getty Images)
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Lee’s reign as champion ended really before it could really begin. WrestleMania 42 was her first appearance at the event in 11 years. It’s unclear where Lee will go from here.
The Clippers’ season has come to an end but better than anyone expected. No consolation but a great job by head coach Tyronn Lue for guiding the Clippers from a disastrous 6-21 start and finishing with more than 40 wins.
Coach Lue led the team, overcoming major obstacles throughout the season with a player investigation, injuries, internal strife and major roster changes at the trade deadline. As usual for Clipper fans, wait till next year.
Wayne Muramatsu
Cerritos
The Clippers are the NBA’s version of Stealers Wheel’s “Stuck in the Middle With You.” Yes, they have had 15 straight seasons of playing .500 or better, and owner Steve Ballmer has brought them respectability, but for their entire 56-year existence — which has contained many clowns and jokers — they still have never [attained] their goal of winning (or even reaching) the NBA Finals.
Ken Feldman
Tarzana
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LAS VEGAS – Paul Walter Hauser is an actor who has been in “The Naked Gun,” “Blackbird,” and “Richard Jewell.” But on Friday night at Maple Leaf Pro’s first U.S. event, MLP Multiverse, there was no acting going on.
Hauser squared off against QT Marshall in a sin city street fight at the Palms Casino Resort in Las Vegas. It was the final show of Slam Fest. The two pro wrestlers pulled out all the stops and left the ring in complete disarray.
Paul Walter Hauser competed against QT Marshall at Maple Leaf Pro Multiverse on April 18, 2026 in Las Vegas. (Fox News Digital)
It was a rematch of their brawl at Ring of Honor’s Death Before Dishonor event. Marshall went on the attack first, throwing in all kinds of foreign objects into the ring, including a piece of wood wrapped with barbed wire, a table, a cane, chairs and even a door was brought into the match.
Hauser was able to regain momentum in the match. He set up the barbed-wire object in the corner. Marshall countered and was trying to whip Hauser into the barbed wire. However, Hauser stopped himself. As Marshall tried to take Hauser by surprise, the movie star avoided Marshall and tossed him into the barbed wire.
Marshall was busted open, but wasn’t done. Hauser was trying to inflict more pain. He set up a table near one corner of the ring and poured thumbtacks on top of it. Marshall was able to powerbomb Hauser through the tacked table.
Paul Walter Hauser is pictured on Thursday, Feb. 1, 2024. (Nathan Congleton/NBC)
BLUE PANTHER AND ÚLTIMO GUERRERO STEAL THE SHOW AT CMLL’S FIRST-EVER US EVENT IN LAS VEGAS
Hauser was left with thumbtacks in his back and one in his head. He managed to power through and put Marshall into a sharpshooter. Marshall tapped out. Hauser picked up the victory.
Hauser got his start in pro wrestling in 2023 at Pro Wrestling Revolver. He worked his way through appearances at All Elite Wrestling before he signed with Major League Wrestling in 2024.
He’s currently Progress Wrestling’s Progress proteus champion.
Elsewhere, Consejo Mundial de Lucha Libre (CMLL) world heavyweight champion Hechicero defended his championship against Jonathan Gresham, Maple Leaf Pro Canadian women’s champion Gisele Shaw fended off Shotzi Blackheart, Persephone and surprise entrant Killer Kelly to keep the title.
Mistico, Mascara Dorada and Amazing Red defeated The Rascalz at Maple Leaf Pro Multiverse on April 18, 2026 in Las Vegas. (Fox News Digital)
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The show started with Subculture, the tag team duo of Mark Andrews and Flash Morgan Webster, defeated Vaughn Vertigo and Guy Cool. The Demand’s Ricochet, Bishop Kaun and Toa Liona defeated Sidney Akeem, Michael Oku and Rich Swaan, Steve Borden defeated Kiran Gray and Mistico, Mascara Dorada, Amazing Red defeated The Rascalz – Desmond Xavier, Zachary Wentz and Myron Reed.
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