Artemi Panarin set the tone early, Brandt Clarke finished it late, and the Los Angeles Kings escaped with a 3-2 overtime win over the New York Islanders on Thursday night for their second straight victory.
The Kings, who opened the season with six losses, have now flipped the script with back-to-back wins after beating Washington on Tuesday night. They were also the last NHL team to get in the win column.
This one was not clean. Los Angeles spent long stretches chasing the puck and was outshot 43-26, but Darcy Kuemper kept the game within reach with 41 saves even though his rebound control was shaky. Panarin did the damage against backup Semyon Varlamov, scoring twice glove side on the first five Kings shots.
New York finally broke through with just under six minutes left in the second period, when rookie Victor Eklund’s shot slipped through on the power play. Then Matthew Schaefer, the Islanders’ face of the franchise, blasted a wrist shot past Kuemper 7:06 into the third to pull the Islanders level.
The Kings then grabbed the extra point in 3-on-3 overtime, with Clarke scoring the winner 2:18 into the session after Los Angeles controlled the puck for several straight shifts.
Varlamov, 38, was making his first home start since Nov. 25, 2024, after double partial knee replacements. He stopped Adrian Kempe on a penalty shot and made several big saves after allowing those soft goals to Panarin.
Panarin now has four points in his last two games after managing four combined over the first six.
Los Angeles was also missing forward Quinton Byfield, who was hurt against the Capitals. He did not skate in the morning and is day to day with an upper-body injury.
The Kings continue their road trip Saturday against the New Jersey Devils, while the Islanders begin a three-game Western Conference swing Sunday at the Dallas Stars.
In Other News...
Islanders Are Teasing A Jersey Fans Will Instantly Recognize
The Islanders spent part of their social media feed building suspense around a jersey reveal, and they did it in a way longtime fans will recognize right away. The teaser leaned into the franchises nautical history and the Fisherman Era, a look that still gets people talking whenever it comes back into the conversation, even before any actual design details are shown.
What made the post stand out was the puzzle wrapped around it, a coded message that pointed toward something new while clearly reaching back to an old theme. The club has not yet shown the crest, colors or striping, but the setup suggests a jersey meant to stir up instant memories for Islanders fans who know exactly what that style means. [Read more 🡒]
Sabres Fans Should Watch This Defense Market Twist Closely
Scott Mayfields name has quietly become one to monitor as the defense market starts to stir, and the Islanders are in a familiar spot of having a veteran with real contractual heft and a role that has shrunk lately. He still has three years left on his deal and, for now, a full no-movement clause, but the fact that he has spent most of the recent stretch as a healthy scratch has only added to the sense that change could be coming for a player who once looked like a stable part of the blue line.
Across the league, teams are beginning to show interest in adding help on defense, which makes Mayfield part of a wider ripple effect rather than just an Islanders-only storyline. Los Angeles is also worth keeping on the radar here because Drew Doughty has already signaled he is open to a team-friendly return while acknowledging the Kings could choose another path, and when a market starts to bend in one place, it can create movement in another before anyone has fully mapped out the dominoes. [Read more 🡒]
Barzals Knee Trouble Just Became A Bigger Islanders Concern
Mathew Barzals return to the Islanders after a long recovery had already been encouraging, but the bigger picture around his left knee remains unsettled. After missing significant time and working his way back into NHL action, the center has still been dealing with recurring inflammation despite being medically cleared, a reminder that a clean bill of health does not always mean the problem is fully behind a player.
The concern is now less about the initial injury and more about what keeps showing up afterward. Barzals ongoing issues have even affected his participation in other hockey events, and rehabilitation specialist Darren McConaghy has pointed to the possibility that there may be underlying physical limitations conventional exams are not fully catching. For the Islanders, that leaves a familiar question hanging over one of their most important players: how reliable is the knee going forward? [Read more 🡒]