The Kings came out of Madison Square Garden with one of their cleanest wins of the season, and they did it by letting their defense drive the night. Los Angeles beat the Rangers 6-3 on the road, pushing its current trip to 3-1-0 and stacking up a performance that had scoring, structure and timely finishing all in the same package.
It took just 75 seconds for the Kings to grab control. Trevor Moore set up Drew Doughty on the breakout with a cross-ice pass, Doughty moved it ahead to Taylor Ward, and Ward finished the breakaway on his first NHL shift of the season for his first goal of the year and a 1-0 lead.
The start only got better from there. Before the game was five minutes old, Los Angeles cashed in during a delayed penalty sequence while skating 6-on-5. Brandt Clarke pushed into the net-front area and finished a centering feed from Joel Armia from close range, stretching the lead to 2-0.
New York answered in the middle of the first period, trimming the margin to 2-1 after the Kings couldn’t clear the puck up the wall. Tye Kartye worked down the left side and sent a pass toward the back post, where it went in off the skate of J.T. Miller.
But the Kings had another response before the intermission. After a long offensive-zone shift, Joel Edmundson found Doughty at the center point, and with Adrian Kempe screening in front, Doughty beat James Reimer cleanly for his first goal of the season and a 3-1 Los Angeles cushion.
Los Angeles kept building from there. On its first power play, a new-look unit clicked as Erik Gustafsson and Artemi Panarin traded passes high in the zone. Gustafsson then fed Panarin in the left circle, and with Alex Laferriere in front, Panarin snapped one high glove side for his team-leading seventh goal of the season and a 4-1 advantage.
The Kings’ blue line stayed in the middle of the action just minutes later. Corey Perry won an offensive-zone faceoff back to Mikey Anderson, who fired quickly past Dylan Garand for his first goal of the season. Perry picked up his first point on the play, and the lead grew to 5-1.
The Rangers got one back on a power play before the second intermission. Alexis Lafreniere moved the puck to Pavel Dorofeyev along the wall, Dorofeyev dropped it into the slot to Adam Fox, and Fox scored his first goal of the season to make it 5-2 after 40 minutes.
New York made one last push late, pulling within 5-3 with under four minutes left as Kartye struck again, this time with an assist from former Kings defenseman Sean Durzi. But Edmundson closed the door from long range with an empty-net goal, giving the Kings their sixth goal of the night and making the final score 6-3.
In Other News...
Kings Catch Rangers At A Telling Moment In Net
The Rangers are turning to a familiar veteran in net as they prepare to host the Kings, a move driven by the injuries that have thinned their goalie depth. James Reimer was brought in to help cover for Igor Shesterkin and Joonas Korpisalo, and the club is looking for him to steady things while giving Dylan Garand a needed breather after carrying the load through the stretch.
For Los Angeles, it is a notable matchup because the Kings are walking into a situation where the Rangers are trying to protect their perfect home record. Reimers first game with his new team adds another layer of intrigue, and it will be a useful early test of how quickly New York can settle its crease while the rest of the roster keeps pushing for points at home. [Read more 🡒]
Drew Doughtys Next Kings Deal Just Became A Real Story
Drew Doughty is still early in his first season wearing the captains C for the Kings, but the contract picture around him is already getting clearer. In the final year of his eight-year deal, the veteran defenseman has opened the door to a long runway in Los Angeles, saying he wants to keep playing well beyond 40 if his health allows and that he would like to remain with the team on a deal that helps the club.
The part that matters most for the Kings, of course, is timing, and right now there is no timing to speak of. Doughty said extension talks with general manager Ken Holland have not started yet, leaving one of the organizations most important players in a familiar but uneasy spot as he navigates a season in which he has one assist in nine games. [Read more 🡒]
Kings Take Another Hit With Zuccarello Out For Rangers Game
Another lineup shuffle is coming for the Kings, with Peter Laviolette saying Mats Zuccarello will not play against the Rangers because of an upper-body injury. It is another frustrating pause for a player who has had trouble staying in the lineup since arriving in Los Angeles, and it comes at a time when the Kings could use stability as they try to move up from seventh in the Pacific Division.
Zuccarello has already missed four games this season because of injuries, and he has only one assist in six games with the Kings. For a team still looking to build rhythm and keep pace in a tight division, losing a veteran forward again is hardly ideal, even if the full picture on the latest issue remains unclear for now. [Read more 🡒]