Harmonica Twist on National Anthem at Kings Playoff Game Strikes a Chord—and Some Nerves

The Los Angeles Kings kicked off their Stanley Cup playoff series against the Edmonton Oilers with a musical moment that got everyone buzzing—not just about hockey, but about harmonicas. Before the puck dropped at Crypto.com Arena, members of the Korea Town Senior & Community Center took to center ice and performed the American national anthem. But instead of belting out the lyrics, they broke out a fleet of harmonicas for their rendition of "The Star-Spangled Banner."

The crowd's reaction was mostly positive, with thousands standing and applauding the unique performance. It takes guts to remix a classic in front of a stadium full of passionate sports fans—especially in the playoffs.

However, not everyone was feeling the harmonica love. The performance soon split opinion online, with some social media users voicing their displeasure. One critic on X declared, "Whoever thought this was a good idea should probably not have a job." Another simply asked, "What in tarnation?" It seems the harmonica’s ability to unite and divide is seriously underrated.

Once the anthem debate died down, the game itself delivered the drama. Edmonton tied things up late in the third period, but Los Angeles edged out a wild 6-5 win in Game 1, and then followed it up with another victory in Game 2. The series continues Friday, and based on this start, both the music and the hockey are sure to keep fans talking.