Rangers fall to Kings for fourth loss in last five games

3 days ago

1 1 minute read

LOS ANGELES — Kevin Fiala scored twice, Darcy Kuemper stopped 22 shots, and the Los Angeles Kings beat the Rangers 3-1 on Tuesday night.

Phillip Danault also scored as the Kings extended their home point streak to 15 games (12-0-3). Los Angeles is the second team in the NHL to have a home streak of at least 15 games, joining Washington (11-0-5).

J.T. Miller scored for the Rangers, and Igor Shesterkin finished with 30 saves. The Rangers have lost four of their last five games.

Miller put the Rangers ahead 1-0 at 2:10 of the second period with a goal awarded after a review. It initially appeared a sprawled Kuemper kept the puck out with a sweeping right pad. However, it was called a goal by the situation room in Toronto after replays showed the puck crossed the line before the goalie’s right skate swept it away.

Fiala tied it on a power play with 9:06 left in the middle period on a deflection from the right doorstep.

Danault, playing in his 700th NHL game, put the Kings ahead on their second power-play goal of the night as he put in the rebound with 2:12 to go in the second.

Fiala added an empty-netter for his second of the night with 15.1 seconds remaining.

Takeaways

Rangers: The Rangers have lost eight of 11 (3-6-8) to remain one point out of a playoff spot in the Eastern Conference.

Kings: Los Angeles won for the ninth time in 10 games and moved two points ahead of Edmonton for second place in the Pacific Division.

Key moment

Kuemper made a point-black save on the Rangers’ Will Cuylle from the right doorstep with about 7:47 to go. He then slid across to pounce on the loose puck after Vincent Trocheck’s shot was blocked by Adrian Kempe seconds later, preserving the Kings’ 2-1 lead.

Key stat

The Kings, 28th on the power play at 15.7% coming in, converted on multiple chances in a game for the first time since Oct. 14 when they went 3 for 5 in an 8-7 overtime loss at Ottawa in their third game of the season.