Bruins Show Fight But Not Much Else In ‘Embarassing’ Loss To Kings

The final stretch of this season is like quicksand for the Boston Bruins. As they try to fight out of it, all they can do is dig themselves deeper into misery as they lost their sixth straight game Sunday night at Crypto.com Arena, where they fell 7-2 to the Los Angeles Kings.

“Everything goes in, and it’s embarrassing,” Nikita Zadorov told reporters in Los Angeles. “How many times did we get beat by a team that scored seven goals on us this year? It’s definitely an example. That’s not what we’re looking for. There’s not much to say after this one, for sure.”

The Bruins couldn’t have asked for a better start to the evening when Elias Lindholm gave them on the board just 19 seconds into the game with his 13th goal of the season.

Boston’s lead lasted only briefly, though, and was one it never reclaimed.

Just a few minutes later, longtime LA captain Anze Kopitar evened the score for the Kings, catching the Bruins flat-footed off the rush before beating Jeremey Swayman in net with a swift deke.

Los Angeles jumped ahead 2-1 with under 30 seconds to go in the first period with a goal from Warren Foegle. Morgan Geekie knotted the score once again early in the middle frame with his 25th goal of the year, only for Drew Doughty to put the Kings back in front, this time for good, by blasting a loose puck from the top of the right circle by Swayman after he gave up a rebound.

It was at that point the frustrations for Swayman and the Bruins began to boil over.

Marat Khusnutdinov was taking issue with any and all members of the Kings within shouting distance. But when the young forward was sent crashing into LA goalie Darcy Keumper, it was Swayman who stepped up to drop the gloves.

Both Swayman and Keumper were willing to throw down as they approached each other at center ice. The only ones who weren’t were the four referees, who promptly separated the two and robbed the world of the rare but always entertaining goalie fight.

“It just comes down to sticking up for my teammates,” said Swayman. “I don’t care who it is. It’s a guy in black and gold. You’re not going to touch them without getting contested. I care about every one of these guys like a brother. That’s just the way I felt.  I felt like it was my turn to step up.”

We came thiiiiiiiiiiiiis close to a goalie fight between Jeremy Swayman and Darcy Kuemper. pic.twitter.com/2SGChaXWTT

— Conor Ryan (@ConorRyan_93) March 24, 2025

While Swayman’s eagerness to fight was appreciated, it did little to help the Bruins in the end. Neither did the fact he made just 16 saves on 23 shots, finishing the night with an abysmal .696 save percentage after Andrei Kuzmenko, Quinton Byfield, Tanner Jeannot, and Samuel Helenius all tacked on insurance goals for the Kings over the game’s final 23 minutes.

“I want to give this team a chance to win every night, and I haven’t done that in the last two games,” Swayman said. “That’s something that I’m going to work on. I’m not giving up. I’m keeping my chin up. I’m not getting the results right now, but I owe these guys better. I owe a hell of a lot of people a lot better.”

Meanwhile, the Bruins struggled to simply put a shot on goal. They finished the night with only 13 shots on net, including just one in the third period, making it the fourth time in their last five outings they’ve been held under 20 in a game.

Boston’s record falls to 30-33-9 as it still searches for its first win of this five-game road trip.

When the Bruins visit the Anaheim Ducks on Wednesday night, this trip will be one step closer to a merciful end, and with it, so too will this miserable season.

“We have to show more determination when we’re in a game like that,” said Bruins interim coach Joe Sacco. “That’s a real good hockey team. You have to make sure that you don’t stop playing in any situation. It’s a good lesson for a lot of us. You can’t stop playing at all because teams like that will make you pay.”

FOLLOW ANDREW FANTUCCHIO ON 𝕏: @A_FANTUCCHIO

FOLLOW BOSTON HOCKEY NOW ON 𝕏 AND FACEBOOK