The LA Kings dropped another game on home ice, as they skated to a 5-2 defeat against the New York Islanders on Thursday evening at Crypto.com Arena.
The Islanders opened the scoring just shy of six minutes into the game, as former Kings forward Brayden Schenn got the visitors on the board. A shot from the point by defenseman Ryan Pulock was deflected on the way through by forward Mitchell Chaffee, forcing a save by Kings goaltender Darcy Kuemper, but Schenn was on hand for the rebound from close range, burying his sixth goal of the season to open the scoring.
Los Angeles equalized just over three minutes later, as forward Trevor Moore tied the game at one. Moore started the shift on the forecheck, as he got in below the goal line and won the puck back in the offensive zone. He then went to the net and deflected a Brandt Clarke shot from the right point, past Islanders goaltender Ilya Sorokin and in, for his third goal of the season and a 1-1 scoreline.
New York scored a power-play goal late in the opening period to take a 2-1 lead into the first intermission. Skating on the game’s first man advantage, forward Matias Maccelli worked the puck to defenseman Matthew Schaefer at the center point. Schaefer’s shot beat Kuemper but appeared to hit the post, before forward Victor Eklund made no mistake on the rebound. Schaefer was credited with the goal, his sixth of the season.
The visitors doubled their lead early in the second period, converting on a 3-on-1 rush to pull ahead 3-1. Kings defenseman Brandt Clarke got caught up ice and as the Kings changed, no one covered back, giving New York an odd-man opportunity. Schenn made the pass and Eklund finished from close range, Schenn’s third point of the evening, as the Islanders took a two-goal advantage.
Skating on a two-man advantage, the Kings moved back to within a goal, converting with the 5-on-3. In his first game back in the lineup, forward Kevin Fiala found the seam pass to forward Artemi Panaarin in the far circle for a one-timer. Although the first shot was saved by Islanders netminder Ilya Sorokin, forward Quinton Byfield buried the rebound from close range, his fifth goal of the season, for a 3-2 score.
Inside the opening minute of the third period, the Islanders restored their two-goal advantage through forward Simon Holmstrom. New York won a faceoff in the offensive zone and after the Kings were unable to clear a loose puck in the slot, Holmstrom collected it, spun onto his forehand and buried a shot, past Kuemper on the blocker side, for a 4-2 lead just 39 seconds in.
Late in the third period, the Islanders hit the empty net from distance, securing a 5-2 win.
Hear from Fiala, defenseman Drew Doughty and Head Coach Peter Laviolette after tonight’s loss.
