LOS ANGELES — With the last quarter of the regular season in front of them, the Kings earned a third straight victory in four nights, stifling the New York Islanders, 4-1, on Tuesday at Crypto.com Arena.
The Kings took eight penalties on Tuesday, but it did not hurt them as the Islanders failed to convert on their league-worst power play.
The hosts went 0 for 1 on the power play, but they scored twice in short-handed situations and connected on a pair of even-strength goals to move within one point of second-place Edmonton in the Pacific Division race.
Both teams had opportunities come and go through the opening 10 minutes.
Unable to do much with a man advantage, the Kings (34-20-9, 77 points) helped themselves before one materialized on a delayed penalty when Islanders defenseman Tony DeAngelo slashed Warren Foegele in the visitors’ defensive zone.
Cycling the puck around for 40 seconds, the Kings patiently worked through the Islanders, firing a pair of shots on goaltender Ilya Sorokin prior to defenseman Vladislav Gavrikov ripping a one-time slap shot (assists to Jordan Spence and Anze Kopitar plus a screen in front of the net by Phillip Danault) to beat the Russian above his left shoulder at 15:33.
“We know with Sorokin if you don’t screen him, if you don’t get somebody in front of him, it’s going to be awfully hard to score,” Kings head coach Jim Hiller said. “It’s a great shot by Gavi but I thought it’s equally important Phil’s there taking Sorokin’s eyes away. It’s a job. The puck is coming 95 miles per hour and you’re standing in front, you better hold your ground and not get out of the way. Phil held his ground. Sorokin didn’t see it. It’s a perfect shot.”
Action ramped up on both ends during the second period, which Hiller described as “lousy” as far as his team was concerned.
Kings goaltender Darcy Kuemper stopped a pair of early breakaways, denying forwards Casey Cizikas and Pierre Engvall, before the New Yorkers found the net at 8:37 when Anders Lee scored his 25th of the season to finish a length-of-the-ice sequence.
“In the second period they had seven Grade-A chances off seven of our turnovers,” Hiller said. “That’s not good. That’s not managing the puck.”
Still, the Kings jumped ahead again 37 seconds later when Danault scored his sixth goal of the season on a wrist shot from the top of the left circle. The play was made by Foegele, who dumped and chased the puck, sparking a turnover along the boards with the help of Trevor Moore.
The first of three second-period penalties against the Kings, a high-sticking call on Alex Turcotte at 9:39, appeared to produce a rare conversion for the Islanders (29-28-7, 65 points). But a coach’s challenge confirmed that Anthony Duclair’s doorstep finish was aided by goaltender interference because Simon Holstrom’s skate snared Kuemper.
Islanders head coach Patrick Roy said he disagreed with the decision, but the Hall-of-Fame goaltender could appreciate Kuemper’s strong performance between the pipes, which ended with 33 saves.
“If it wasn’t for the goaltending it wouldn’t have been eight for eight [killing penalties],” Hiller said. “You need it on nights particularly when you don’t have your best as a group of forwards and defensemen, and that was tonight. We relied on [Kuemper] way too much but he was there and looked good doing it.”
Turcotte nearly made it 3-1 as he burst out of the penalty box and had a free run at Sorokin that was denied. Moments later, as the Islanders attempted another power play, Kings forward Quinton Byfield provided his team a two-goal advantage at the 14-minute mark, roofing a short-handed unassisted laser – his first in the NHL – giving him goals in four consecutive games.
With Gavrikov serving a 2-minute minor for holding, the Islanders seemed to immediately capitalize when Lee, who was camped out in front of Kuemper, shoveled a backhand past Kuemper.
Hiller challenged once more and was rewarded with the second reversal thanks to a goaltender interference call to preserve their 3-1 edge.
“We created a lot of looks,” Lee said. “The ones that didn’t go in were good saves. The ones that did were called back.”
Four additional penalties against the Kings came and went in the final period. The hosts totaled 16 minutes in the box compared to two for New York, which was swept in the season series for the 13th time.
Drew Doughty’s second goal of the season made it 4-1 when the Canadian defenseman’s short-handed shot found an empty net at 18:43 of the third.
“There’s been nights when luck wasn’t on our side,” Hiller said. “That’s hockey.”
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