Forsberg makes 27 saves, Kings edge Rangers to end 4-game skid

LOS ANGELES -- Anton Forsberg made 27 saves, and the Los Angeles Kings ended a four-game skid with a 4-3 win against the New York Rangers at Crypto.com Arena on Tuesday.

Forsberg stopped all but one shot in relief of Darcy Kuemper, who sustained an upper-body injury before leaving with 38.8 seconds remaining in the first period.

Rangers forward Jonny Brodzinski collided into Kuemper with 57 seconds to go. Kuemper, who made six saves on eight shots, tried to shake off the contact during a stoppage in play but was ultimately replaced by Forsberg.

“It happened so quick,” Forsberg said. “I mean, it was the end of the period, a couple of seconds left. So at that point, just get through the first, and then see what happens after that. Focus on what I can do, and just play my game. And came in here and found out that I was going to play the whole game, so at that point, it’s just focus on yourself.

“It’s nothing different from starting a game from the start. It’s still the same game. I mean, I have the same job, no matter what.”

Kings coach Jim Hiller did not have an update on Kuemper’s status after the game and said the team would know more Wednesday before they head off on their six-game road trip.

Kevin Fiala had a goal and an assist, and Adrian Kempe and Andrei Kuzmenko also scored for the Kings (20-16-13), who had lost three straight games past regulation and six of seven overall (1-2-4).

“Good relief for everybody, you know,” said Kempe, who scored for the second straight game. “I think it’s well deserved, especially with, I think, the games we’ve had where it hasn’t maybe bounced our way. But I think, tonight, we earned it.”

J.T. Miller scored twice, and Mika Zibanejad had an assist to extend his point streak to 10 games for the Rangers (21-24-6), who have lost 10 of their past 12 (2-8-2). Jonathan Quick made 23 saves.

“It was a pretty hard-fought game,” Miller said. “We just had a couple mistakes that cost us.”

Kempe gave Los Angeles a 1-0 lead 18 seconds into the first period on a sharp-angle one-timer from the goal line below the right circle off Brandt Clarke’s pass.

Corey Perry had the secondary assist in his return after missing three games to attend to an ill family member.

“I think the start’s been good all year,” Kempe said. “I feel like we just haven’t capitalized on our chances and stuff, so it’s nice to get one off early.”

Will Cuylle tied it 1-1 at 8:18 when he redirected Scott Morrow’s shot that hit Kuemper in the mask, and the rebound went in off Jacob Moverare’s skate five-hole.

Fiala gave the Kings a 2-1 lead at 9:00, picking off Vladislav Gavrikov’s pass through the slot and scoring on a wrist shot from close range.

Miller tied it 2-2 at 16:36, charging the crease to put in Zibanejad’s centering pass from below the right circle.

Zibanejad has 19 points (nine goals, 10 assists) in his past 10 games, which is tied for the longest point streak of his NHL career (Dec. 10-30, 2023).

Taylor Ward put Los Angeles back ahead 3-2 at 4:23 of the second period on his first goal of the season in eight games. After Jeff Malott dug the puck out of the corner and Rangers defenseman Braden Schneider was unable to knock it away, Ward scored on a wrist shot from the right circle.

The Kings then killed a 5-on-3 power play before Kuzmenko extended it to 4-2 at 12:37 when he backhanded in Fiala’s rebound.

“Obviously, I thought we won the game by killing that off,” Forsberg said of the Rangers’ two-man advantage for 1:35. “Every time you kill off a 5-on-3, it brings a lot of energy, and I thought we did a really good job of getting that off the books. And we scored right after that, and kind of in the front seat there.”

Alex Laferriere had his goal for Los Angeles at 10:06 of the third period overturned when a coach’s challenge from New York determined goaltender interference against Perry.

Miller cut it to 4-3 at 19:33 on a wrist shot from above the right circle through traffic with Quick pulled for the extra skater.

“Really liked the response in the third from the guys,” Miller said. “I think that it showed a lot of character. We had a lot of good chances, didn’t give in. Didn’t go our way tonight, but it’s not all bad.”

NOTES: Rangers forward Artemi Panarin’s 10-game assist streak ended (13 assists). It was tied with Ryan Strome (March 15-April 1, 2021) and Rod Gilbert (March 3-26, 1969) for the second-longest streak in Rangers’ history, behind Brian Leetch’s 15-game streak (Nov. 29-Dec. 31, 1991). … Zibanejad recorded his second double-digit point streak with the Rangers. The only players in franchise history with more are Gilbert (eight), Panarin (six), Mark Messier (four), Leetch (four), Mike Rogers (three) and Jean Ratelle (three). … Kings defenseman Drew Doughty did not play because of illness. He is one point away from becoming the seventh active defenseman in the NHL to reach 700 career points.