Anze Kopitar provides Los Angeles Kings a familiar lift with season-opening natural hat trick
Los Angeles Kings center Anze Kopitar (11) celebrates after his goal during the third period of an NHL hockey game against the Buffalo Sabres, Thursday, Oct. 10, 2024, in Buffalo, N.Y. (AP Photo/Jeffrey T. Barnes)[ASSOCIATED PRESS/Jeffrey T. Barnes]
BUFFALO, N.Y. (AP) — Anze Kopitar opened his 19th NHL season providing the Los Angeles Kings a familiar lift. The 37-year-old scored a natural hat-trick with three third-period goals in rallying the Kings to a 3-1 win over the Buffalo Sabres. The Kings captain delivered with numerous questions facing a team coming off its third straight first-round playoff exit, and with key defenseman Drew Doughty out with a broken ankle. Kopitar enjoyed his seventh career three-goal outing by tying the game 13 seconds into the third period, scoring the go-ahead goal with 1:38 left and sealing the victory with an empty-netter.
Copyright 2024 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.