For the second game in a row, the Los Angeles Kings had the Harmonica Class from the Korea-Town Senior & Community Center perform the national anthem. And for the second game in a row, fans on social media were equal parts hyped and confused.
It was an odd choice for a Game 1 anthem performances, but the seniors slayed. The whole arena came together to sing the Star Spangled Banner in an unexpectedly inspiring moment.
The Kings brought them back — "by popular demand," according to the arena announcer — for Game 2 on Wednesday night.
The Harmonica Class from the Korea-Town Senior & Community Center performs another viral national anthem
BACK BY POPULAR DEMAND
— B/R Open Ice (@BR_OpenIce) April 24, 2025
THE HARMONICA ANTHEM 👏 pic.twitter.com/dFpNyK3CPS
Hey, if it ain't broke, don't fix it. Why bring in a singer to belt out the anthem when you can bring the crowd together ahead of a pivotal Game 2?
Not everyone got it...
The @LAKings just had a bunch of people playing the national anthem by harmonica. 😐 That was...interesting.
— Ryan Mackman 🟦 (@rmackman) April 24, 2025
That's the most embarrassing thing for the @NHL.
— Real Gratton (@forereal22) April 24, 2025
Harmonica anthem in @LAKings .
LA King's should automatically lose for having the harmonica anthem twice in a row.. Sheesh! 🫣😅
— - Carl - (@PlanetCom_ca) April 24, 2025
But Kings fans ate it up along with those at the intersection of the harmonica-NHL fan Venn Diagram.
If the @LAKings don't get the Korean Harmonica ladies to perform at every single playoff home game moving forward, anyone else who does perform the national anthem should be booed out of the arena. #gokingsgo #NHLPLAYOFFS25
— Tony Escargot (@tonyescargot) April 23, 2025
The harmonica national anthem is my favorite story in all of hockey this year, I’m obsessed with those ladies
— Laurd Stanley (@LaurenBelfoy) April 24, 2025
If they keep bringing the harmonica grandmas out for the anthem I’m rooting for the kings to win the cup #GoKingsGo #electricfactory
— Kuz 🌴 (@kyle_kuz_14) April 24, 2025
#gokingsgo Korea's finest harmonica band is back at it for the anthem! GOKINGSGO! pic.twitter.com/R6yzwr1KdG
— Kevin Khiaban (@KKhiaban) April 24, 2025
In case you missed it, here was their first performance ahead of Game 1.
There was a special USA anthem performance in LA tonight by...a harmonica class? 😅 pic.twitter.com/XkwUijF7yG
— B/R Open Ice (@BR_OpenIce) April 22, 2025
I don't know if the harmonica ladies were a good luck charm, but King's fans weren't left disappointed by Game 1. Los Angeles jumped out to a 4-0 lead before the Oilers pulled back one goal just before the end of the second period. The third period was bananas, B-A-N-A-N-A-S. Kevin Fiala managed to answer Mattias Janmark's early goal, but Oilers ramped up the action from there. Despite holding a 5-3 lead coming into the final three minutes of play, the Kings found themselves tied 5-5 with 90 seconds to go. Phillip Danault had to nullify Connor McDavid's equalizer with a game-winning goal at 19:18.
Of course, they could have done without the late Oilers comeback and drama, but maybe the good vibes of the harmonica anthem can only last so long.