Kings left wing Warren Foegele, right, passes the puck in front of New York Rangers center Jonny Brodzinski during the first period on Tuesday night at Crypto.com Arena. (AP Photo/Jayne-Kamin-Oncea)
New York Rangers center Vincent Trocheck, left, controls the puck in front of Kings defenseman Mikey Anderson during the first period of an NHL hockey game Tuesday, March 25, 2025, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Jayne-Kamin-Oncea)
New York Rangers center Vincent Trocheck (16) defends a shot on goal by Kings left wing Andrei Kuzmenko during the first period of an NHL hockey game Tuesday, March 25, 2025, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Jayne-Kamin-Oncea)
New York Rangers defenseman Braden Schneider controls the puck during the first period of an NHL hockey game against the Kings, Tuesday, March 25, 2025, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Jayne-Kamin-Oncea)
Kings right wing Quinton Byfield, left, New York Rangers center Jonny Brodzinski (22) and Rangers left wing Alexis Lafrenière get tangled as they go for the puck during the first period of an NHL hockey game Tuesday, March 25, 2025, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Jayne-Kamin-Oncea)
Kings left wing Trevor Moore, left, congratulates center Phillip Danault on his power-play goal during the second period of their game against the New York Rangers on Tuesday night at Crypto.com Arena. (AP Photo/Jayne-Kamin-Oncea)
Kings left wing Trevor Moore (12) and center Phillip Danault (24) celebrate after a goal during the second period of an NHL hockey game against the New York Rangers, Tuesday, March 25, 2025, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Jayne-Kamin-Oncea)
Kings left wings Warren Foegele, left, Trevor Moore (12) and center Phillip Danault celebrate after a goal during the second period of an NHL hockey game against the New York Rangers, Tuesday, March 25, 2025, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Jayne-Kamin-Oncea)
Kings center Phillip Danault (24) is congratulated by teammates on the bench after scoring a goal during the second period of an NHL hockey game against the New York Rangers, Tuesday, March 25, 2025, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Jayne-Kamin-Oncea)
New York Rangers defenseman K’Andre Miller (79) handles the puck away from Kings left wing Andrei Kuzmenko during the second period of an NHL hockey game Tuesday, March 25, 2025, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Jayne-Kamin-Oncea)
Kings center Trevor Lewis, left, and New York Rangers defenseman K’Andre Miller battle along the boards during the second period of an NHL hockey game Tuesday, March 25, 2025, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Jayne-Kamin-Oncea)
Kings right wing Alex Laferriere, left, and New York Rangers defenseman Zac Jones reach for the puck during the second period of an NHL hockey game Tuesday, March 25, 2025, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Jayne-Kamin-Oncea)
Kings left wing Kevin Fiala (22) is congratulated by teammates on the bench after scoring a goal during the second period of an NHL hockey game against the New York Rangers, Tuesday, March 25, 2025, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Jayne-Kamin-Oncea)
New York Rangers right wing Nicolas Aube-Kubel (96) is pinned along the boards as Kings left wing Kevin Fiala reaches for the puck during the second period of an NHL hockey game Tuesday, March 25, 2025, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Jayne-Kamin-Oncea)
Kings left wing Andrei Kuzmenko and New York Rangers center Vincent Trocheck battle for the puck during the first period of an NHL hockey game Tuesday, March 25, 2025, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Jayne-Kamin-Oncea)
New York Rangers goaltender Igor Shesterkin makes a save during the second period of a game against the Los Angeles Kings on Tuesday, March 25, 2025, at Crpyto.com Arena. (AP Photo/Jayne-Kamin-Oncea)
Kings right wing Adrian Kempe (9) controls the puck away from New York Rangers defenseman Braden Schneider (4) during the second period of an NHL hockey game Tuesday, March 25, 2025, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Jayne-Kamin-Oncea)
New York Rangers defenseman Adam Fox (23) and goaltender Igor Shesterkin (31) stop a shot on goal by Kings center Samuel Helenius (79) during the second period of an NHL hockey game Tuesday, March 25, 2025, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Jayne-Kamin-Oncea)
Kings defenseman Mikey Anderson (44) keeps the puck away from New York Rangers left wing Brennan Othmann during the third period of an NHL hockey game Tuesday, March 25, 2025, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Jayne-Kamin-Oncea)
Kings defenseman Mikey Anderson (44) keeps the puck away from New York Rangers left wing Brennan Othmann (78) during the third period of an NHL hockey game Tuesday, March 25, 2025, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Jayne-Kamin-Oncea)
Kings defenseman Mikey Anderson (44), New York Rangers center Vincent Trocheck, left, and left wing Chris Kreider battle for the puck during the third period of an NHL hockey game Tuesday, March 25, 2025, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Jayne-Kamin-Oncea)
Kings right wing Alex Laferriere (14) and New York Rangers center Matt Rempe (73) collide along the boards during the third period of an NHL hockey game Tuesday, March 25, 2025, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Jayne-Kamin-Oncea)
Kings right wing Adrian Kempe (9) and New York Rangers left wing Artemi Panarin get tangled as they go for the puck during the third period of an NHL hockey game Tuesday, March 25, 2025, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Jayne-Kamin-Oncea)
Kings left wing Kevin Fiala, left, checks New York Rangers left wing Will Cuylle into the boards during the third period of an NHL hockey game Tuesday, March 25, 2025, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Jayne-Kamin-Oncea)
Kings left wing Kevin Fiala, left, checks New York Rangers left wing Will Cuylle into the boards during the third period of an NHL hockey game Tuesday, March 25, 2025, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Jayne-Kamin-Oncea)
New York Rangers left wing Artemi Panarin (10) controls the puck away from Kings left wing Warren Foegele during the third period of an NHL hockey game Tuesday, March 25, 2025, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Jayne-Kamin-Oncea)
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Kings left wing Warren Foegele, right, passes the puck in front of New York Rangers center Jonny Brodzinski during the first period on Tuesday night at Crypto.com Arena. (AP Photo/Jayne-Kamin-Oncea)
LOS ANGELES — The train kept rolling for the Kings, who extended their franchise-record home points streak to 15 games (12-0-3) and defeated the New York Rangers, 3-1, on Tuesday night at Crypto.com Arena.
They have won four straight contests and nine of their past 10, their best 10-game stretch of the season to date. They are now in sole possession of second place in the Pacific Division and still trail Vegas, which beat Minnesota 5-1 on Tuesday, by five points for the division lead.
The Rangers lost for the fourth time in their past five games, having stolen a victory in Vancouver on Saturday. They remained one point back of a wild-card berth in the East.
Kevin Fiala and Phillip Danault (playing in his 700th career game) each had a power-play goal for the hosts before Fiala tacked on an empty-netter. Darcy Kuemper won his sixth straight decision at home, where he’s 16-1-2 this season, and made 22 saves.
J.T. Miller opened the scoring with the Rangers’ only goal. Igor Shesterkin tied a career high by making his eighth straight start, stopping 30 shots and denying Kings fans the opportunity to see former Kings playoff MVP Jonathan Quick in action with his current club.
The Kings’ 26th win at home this season tied a franchise record and there are still eight games on home ice left on their schedule.
“It’s been awesome and it’s been fun to play in front of the fans,” Fiala said. “We feel at home here, we feel great here, and, obviously, we’re strong here. We kind of feel like we’re going to win. Whether we’re up or down, we just believe.”
Fiala iced the Kings’ cake with 15.7 seconds showing on the game clock, his vacated-cage tally becoming his second goal of the evening and 28th of the season. He has 12 points in 13 games during March.
The Kings had otherwise dug in during the third period, killing the only penalty of the stanza and effectively protecting their one-goal lead, even playing five-on-six.
That all came at a cost, however, as winger Tanner Jeannot exited the game and did not return with what appeared to be a non-contact injury.
He had felled the enormous Matt Rempe in a fight on Tuesday and collected four points in his two previous games, playing perhaps his best hockey since his rookie season with Nashville. Though the Kings got Moore back after a one-game absence, they lost two thirds of their fourth line between Jeannot and Alex Turcotte, who missed the match with an upper-body injury.
“Tanner’s been playing so well lately,” Moore said. “He had a great fight again tonight. He does so much for our group.”
In the absence of the rugged Jeannot, an unlikely source provided some physicality when Jordan Spence leveled Will Cuylle, a forward the Rangers took with the pick they acquired from the Kings in the ill-fated Lias Andersson deal.
To begin the game, 20 bland minutes gave way to a spicy start to the second period.
Danault made the post ring for the Kings and on each side of his near-miss were forays for the Rangers, including the game’s first goal.
Initially it appeared as though the swift kick of Kuemper’s pad and some dogged stick work by Brandt Clarke would keep the game scoreless, but an official review determined Miller’s stuff attempt completely crossed the goal line. The Rangers led 1-0, 2:10 into the period. Miller has 27 points in 27 career games against the Kings, and has been just shy of that point-per-game pace overall since being traded from Vancouver to New York at the end of January.
The Kings pulled even at 10:54 and took the lead nearly seven minutes later, both behind conversions on the power play following penalties drawn by Quinton Byfield. He baited the Rangers into a third infraction, Adam Fox’s tripping penalty to prevent a short-handed breakaway, late in the period to negate a Rangers power play.
“He’s so big, so strong and so fast, when he moves his body so quickly, it’s impossible to stop him,” Fiala said of Byfield. “The key for him and for our line is speed. We’re all very fast players, and if we keep [using] that, we’re going to draw some more penalties and, hopefully, score on the PP.”
On the tying goal, Andrei Kuzmenko turned in a stirring shift with the extra man. First, his pass for Adrian Kempe nearly set up one score. Then, he took both a stick between the legs and a cross-check from Shesterkin before popping to the side of the net, waiting out two defenders and delivering a precise pass across the crease for Fiala’s tap-in tally.
“The goal for me today, it was an empty-net [because] it was an awesome play by him,” said Fiala, with Moore adding that Kuzmenko was capable of making singular plays with the man advantage.
The Kings went ahead when their second unit matched the contributions of their first. Moore’s keep-in at the blue line for Warren Foegele allowed the puck to find Moore for a shot that created a rebound for Danault’s seventh goal of 2024-25. He went skate to stick before zipping a shot over the outstretched twig of Shesterkin.
“I think Phil’s at the top of his game right now,” Moore said. “He’s playing as well right now as he ever has and I love playing with Phil.”
UP NEXT
The Kings travel to Denver to face the Colorado Avalanche on Thursday at 7 p.m. PT.
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