Alex Laferriere was the star of the show, racking up a goal and two assists as the Los Angeles Kings cruised to a 4-1 victory over the New York Rangers on Monday night. This win adds another notch to the Kings' belt, marking their third win in the last five games.
Drew Doughty, Mikey Anderson, and Trevor Moore also found the back of the net for Los Angeles, while Darcy Kuemper was a wall between the pipes, stopping 21 shots. Despite Igor Shesterkin's 22 saves, the Rangers saw their four-game winning streak come to an end.
Vincent Trocheck managed to spoil Kuemper's shutout bid with a power-play goal just 2:29 into the third period, his 14th of the season, preventing New York from facing their 10th shutout of the year.
The Kings got off to a strong start with Doughty opening the scoring late in the first period. His fifth goal of the year came from a shot off the left wall that Shesterkin couldn't track through the screen. Anderson added his fourth goal of the season early in the second, and Laferriere's power-play strike shortly after extended the Kings' lead to 3-0.
The matchup also highlighted Artemi Panarin's return to New York after being traded to the Kings. The Rangers' former star was sent to Los Angeles in exchange for prospect Liam Greentree and a conditional third-round draft pick. Panarin, now 34, has since secured a two-year, $22 million extension with the Kings.
Looking ahead, the Kings will kick off a two-game homestand against Philadelphia on Thursday.