The Kings went ahead 1-0 at 15:33 of the first period when Gavrikov scored on a one-timer from above the right circle with Kuemper off for an extra skater during a delayed penalty.
Lee tied it 1-1 at 8:37 of the second period on a wrist shot from the left circle that deflected off Doughty’s stick.
Danault put Los Angeles back in front 2-1 just 37 seconds later on a one-timer at 9:14, scoring off a pass from Trevor Moore after Warren Foegele forced a turnover in the offensive zone.
“They possess the puck a matter of two seconds before the goal, and you can argue it’s one of the nicest goals of the night” Kings coach Jim Hiller said. “When you look at how hockey is played, how you have to manufacture goals -- you don’t always just get to make really nice plays and shoot in empty nets. And that’s the type of line they are, they’re hunting you.”
New York looked to have tied it up at 10:34 on the power play, but the Kings challenged for goaltender interference, and a video review determined that Simon Holmstrom interfered with Kuemper after his initial shot and before Anthony Duclair cleaned up the loose puck.
Byfield made it 3-1 at 14:00, scoring on a short-handed breakaway with a wrist shot from the left circle after Islanders defenseman Tony DeAngelo broke his stick trying to play the puck at the attacking blue line. It was Byfield’s first short-handed goal.
“I think everybody was looking for that Day 1,” Hiller said. “Just doesn’t always happen that way, but full credit to him, he’s coming. He’s going to be a force in this league for a long time.”
