Los Angeles won because Kokko conceded 1.1 goals above league average while Byfield generated 2 goals and 8 shots on goal before Seattle could respond.
β‘TURNING POINT
Laferriere's power-play goal at 19:58 of the third β with Seattle having just cut it to 4-3 at 17:33 β ended any possibility of a tie or overtime by converting LAK's best special-teams opportunity when the margin was at its thinnest. With 2 seconds remaining and Seattle's momentum peak already spent, the goal closed the door permanently.
πWHY LAK WON
1
Early Offensive Control: Byfield 2G, 8 SOG, +3 in 20:17 β two goals inside the first 13:19 forced Seattle to chase the game from the opening period, eliminating the tactical flexibility Seattle needed to dictate structure.
2
Faceoff Dominance: LAK 55.4% faceoffs (36 of 65) β controlling possession at the dot directly supported zone time and suppressed Seattle's ability to generate sustained offensive-zone pressure.
3
Goaltending Margin: Forsberg conceded 0.1 goals below average on 31 shots β in a 2-goal game, that cushion preserved the outcome during Seattle's third-period surge.
πWHY SEA LOST
1
Goaltending Margin: Kokko conceded 1.1 goals above average on 29 shots β in a game decided by two goals, that deficit was structural and unrecoverable.
2
Special Teams Failure: SEA 0/2 on the power play against LAK's 1/4 β Seattle's inability to convert with the man advantage during a period when they trailed by multiple goals removed the most efficient path back into the game.
3
Giveaway Differential: LAK 18 giveaways, SEA 5 β despite the turnover imbalance heavily favouring Seattle, they converted only 3 goals, indicating a failure to translate possession advantages into consistent shot generation where Beniers registered 0 shots on goal from 2 assists.
Three Stars
Quinton Byfield1st
LAK, R
2G8 SOG+3 in 20:17
Both goals arrived before the 14-minute mark of the first period, setting a two-goal platform that Seattle spent the entire game failing to overcome.
Trevor Moore2nd
LAK, L
1G1A+3 in 18:31
Moore's involvement in the P2 goal extended the lead to 3-0 and his assist on Kempe's insurance goal directly answered Seattle's back-to-back third-period scores.
Matty Beniers3rd
SEA, C
0G2A2P in 18:06
Beniers assisted on both McMann's late goal and Larsson's opener, generating Seattle's only two-point performance β though his 0 SOG reflects the limited finishing the assists produced.
