Kings Edge Senators 6-5 in Wild Shootout at Crypto.com Arena

The Kings survived a track meet at Crypto.com Arena, outlasting the Senators 6-5 in a game that featured more goals than defensive zone awareness. Los Angeles needed every bit of offensive firepower to hold off a scrappy Ottawa squad that refused to go quietly into the California night.

This was the kind of back-and-forth affair that makes goaltending coaches reach for the Maalox. Neither team showed much interest in playing defense, trading chances like hockey cards at recess. The Kings built enough cushion to withstand Ottawa's late push, but it came down to the wire—exactly the kind of nail-biter that separates playoff teams from pretenders.

Credit to Los Angeles for finding a way to win when the scoreboard looked like a basketball game. They'll take the two points and try not to think too hard about how many quality chances they surrendered. For Ottawa, moral victories don't count in the standings, but pushing a Western Conference contender to the brink on the road shows they're not rolling over for anyone.

DarkHorse didn't weigh in on this one, which was probably wise given the chaotic nature of the contest. Sometimes the smart play is knowing when to sit one out.