Drew Doughty tallied a goal and two assists, and Artemi Panarin chipped in a power-play goal and an assist as the Los Angeles Kings defeated the New York Rangers 6-3 on Monday night at Madison Square Garden.
How did the Los Angeles Kings secure the victory over the New York Rangers?
The Los Angeles Kings jumped out to an early lead on Monday night, chasing Rangers starting goaltender James Reimer after just one period. Reimer allowed three goals on eight shots in his New York debut after signing an NHL contract for the rest of the season. Taylor Ward opened the scoring 1:15 into the game on the Kings’ first shot, getting behind the defense off a pass from Drew Doughty. Brandt Clarke extended the lead to 2-0 at 4:52 of the first period by tipping in a rebound.
— https://x.com/Peter_Baugh/status/2114125438410953156
J.T. Miller put the Rangers on the board when a Tye Kartye slap shot deflected off his skate and past Darcy Kuemper. However, Doughty restored a two-goal cushion before the first intermission with a one-timer from the point. In the second period, Mikey Anderson and Taylor Ward added goals for Los Angeles, while Adam Fox scored a power play goal for New York to make it 5-2. Kartye brought the Rangers within two again in the third period, before Joel Edmundson sealed the 6-3 win with an empty-net goal in the final minutes.
What went wrong for James Reimer in his Rangers debut?
James Reimer struggled in his first start for the Rangers after signing a one-year contract on Sunday. The 38-year-old goaltender surrendered three goals on eight shots during the opening frame, prompting head coach Peter Laviolette to replace him with Dylan Garand to start the second period. Reimer had played just one game prior this fall, stopping 35 shots in an American Hockey League shutout on Saturday night.
FINAL — Kings 6, #NYR 3Really tough Blueshirts debut for James Reimer, who gave up 3 goals on 8 shots. A cold and presumably tired Garand put in a tough spot.This 5-day break in the game schedule couldn’t be coming at a better time.
— https://x.com/MollieeWalkerr/status/2114897463417201041
Following the game, New York coach Peter Laviolette shouldered the blame for throwing Reimer into high-stakes action so quickly. For ‘Reims’ to come in the way he has in short order and go into a game like this, it’s not an easy challenge, it’s a tough challenge,
Laviolette said. I just felt like the way the game is going, maybe ‘Reims’ needs a little bit more preparation before we put him in that circumstance. I put him in a tough spot and that’s on me.
Garand stopped 15 of 17 shots in relief duty.
How does this road win change the trajectory of the Kings’ season?
Monday’s victory marks the third win in the last four games for Los Angeles, all coming on the road after the team began the season with six consecutive losses. Turning around a season-starting slump has all come against the Metropolitan Division, with the Kings’ other victory coming over the New York Islanders. Despite the momentum shift, Kings coach Peter Laviolette maintained that the squad still has ground to make up. I thought it was really good from start to finish,
Laviolette said. We played the game fast and we made good decisions and we attacked.
The loss also halted a six-game home win streak for the Rangers at Madison Square Garden, which stood as their longest such run since 1990. New York forward J.T. Miller pointed to systemic issues following the defeat. The reason we were behind is because we weren’t playing our style,
Miller told NHL.com. We weren’t playing Rangers’ hockey and that has been the case lately. It’s an issue we need to fix.
Frequently Asked Questions About the Matchup
What milestones or notable tributes occurred during the game?
Prior to puck drop at Madison Square Garden, a moment of silence was held for Ron Duguay, a fan favorite for the Rangers during the 1970s and 1980s who passed away the previous week. Rangers defenseman Adam Fox scored his first goal of the season in his 500th career NHL game.
THERE'S NEW BLUE IN THE CREASE!!! 💙 James Reimer makes his @NYRangers debut tonight! pic.twitter.com/S7wxOKy1kZ
— https://x.com/NHL/status/2114854486372221112
Who are the upcoming opponents for both teams?
The Kings travel to face the Chicago Blackhawks on Tuesday night for the second leg of a back-to-back set. The Rangers return to the ice on Sunday night to host the Edmonton Oilers at Madison Square Garden.
More on Los Angeles Kings
In the Big Apple! 🍎🏒 New York Rangers📍 Madison Square Garden⏰ 3:30 PM tune in📺 @WatchABTV | @DAZN🎧 LA Kings App | @ESPNLosAngeles App📲 https://t.co/7mMy8XQWUz#GoKingsGo pic.twitter.com/tXxj26Ag1U
— https://x.com/LAKings/status/2114737731943505977
Head coach Mike Sullivan said his biggest issue was with the #NYR start tonight:"I just didn't think, from a mindset standpoint, I don't think we had enough guys that were ready to play from the drop of the puck. So we've got to fix that fast. The onus is on each individual to…
— https://x.com/MollieeWalkerr/status/2114905367738040331
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