LOS ANGELES — The Kings edged past another hobbled big-market franchise, downing the New York Rangers, 4-3, on Tuesday night at Crypto.com Arena.
They had lost four straight games, six of seven overall and eight of their past 11 at home before coming up with their fifth four-or-more-goal performance of the campaign on home ice. The Rangers have dropped 10 of their past 12 decisions.
In his 700th NHL game, Kevin Fiala scored a goal and engineered another for Andrei Kuzmenko. Adrian Kempe and Taylor Ward joined them in the goal column. Darcy Kuemper played nearly a period before sustaining an injury and giving way to Anton Forsberg, combining for 34 saves.
Time-on-ice leader Drew Doughty was a late scratch due to illness, leaving him and captain Anže Kopitar (lower-body injury) out of action in what might have been former Kings icon Jonathan Quick’s final appearance in Los Angeles.
J.T. Miller scored twice for New York and Will Cuylle added a goal. Quick didn’t exactly turn back the clock to 2012, coming up with 23 of 27 stops. The Blueshirts were without a Norris Trophy winner, Adam Fox, and a Vezina Trophy honoree, Igor Shesterkin, among others.
In the final frame, the Kings appeared to extend their edge when Corey Perry drove from the wall to the net front through three defenders, generating what appeared to be a follow-up finish for Alex Laferriere. Rangers coach Mike Sullivan alleged that Perry interfered with Quick, and an official review confirmed his stance despite Perry being high-sticked on the play.
Miller beat Forsberg with 27 seconds left, adding intrigue to the finish, but the Kings held on to win.
They had gained separation in the second period, scoring both of the frame’s goals.
At the 4:23 mark, Braden Schneider got a stick on Jeff Malott’s centering feed, but the puck went straight to Ward. He snuck it through an upright Quick’s five hole for his first goal of the season and second of his career.
With 7:23 left in the period, the Kings cushioned their advantage. Fiala outbattled two Rangers for an offensive-zone recovery, got the puck back from Alex Turcotte and heaved a shot on net. The rebound came to Kuzmenko for a backhand goal, bringing him to double digits. Since Jan. 1, the Kings have outscored opponents 14-6 when Kuzmenko is on the ice.
The Kings scored their fastest goal of 2025-26, one that tied for the 18th-fastest in franchise history.
They took just 18 seconds to deposit the opening goal. Then they found themselves tied off a bad bounce at 8:18, reclaimed the lead 42 seconds later and were once again level for the final 3:26 of the first period.
Brandt Clarke initiated the sequence with a puck retrieval, passing to Perry, whose outlet went to Kempe. He hit the trailing Clarke, who one-touched a return pass to Kempe for his 17th goal of the season.
Scott Morrow stickhandled his way into the high slot, ripping a shot that hit Kuemper squarely in the body. But the puck banked off Kuemper and hit both Jacob Moverare’s skate and Cuylle before entering the net.
Former Kings defenseman Vladislav Gavrikov returned to his old stomping grounds for the first time and picked up an unwelcome assist. After the Rangers won a defensive-zone faceoff, Fiala gobbled up Gavrikov, taking the puck right off his stick and deking his way into his team-topping 18th goal.
The Rangers equalized off a cycle play where Mika Zibanejad found Miller in front. Miller has eight points in his past four games.
In the final minute of the period, the Kings lost Kuemper for the night. As Cody Ceci broke up a centering pass intended for Jonny Brodzinski, Brodzinski turned and made high contact on Kuemper with his hip. Kuemper was relieved by Forsberg and headed down the tunnel.
More to come on this story.
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