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Kings face Rangers looking to extend hot streak on home ice

March 24, 2025

The Kings have hit their stride at the right time.

After putting up 14 goals in two games from 10 different scorers, they’ll turn their attention to the New York Rangers on Tuesday.

In addition to establishing a franchise-record home points streak and having won eight of their past nine games overall, the Kings have reached unseen levels of not only scoring but scoring balance. All 12 forwards recorded a point in Saturday’s 7-2 stampeding of the Carolina Hurricanes and 11 attackers hit the score sheet the following day as the Kings won by an identical score, firing in five unanswered goals to further fetter the fading Boston Bruins.

The Kings had scored seven goals in a game just twice this season, in an overtime loss at Ottawa in the nascent stages of the campaign and during Dec. 14’s 7-3 win in Philadelphia. They just did so twice at home in one weekend, shooting a staggering 29.2% in the process.

Their 14 goals in two calendar days were more than they scored during an eight-game stretch that concluded January and kicked off February with a 4-2 win at Carolina after the Kings mustered just nine goals in seven prior outings.

“One week, we don’t get that many (goals) and then they all come at once. I mean, it’s nice for everybody’s confidence, all the lines, all the D, everybody’s going, obviously that feels good in the locker room,” said Adrian Kempe, who had a goal and two assists over the weekend. “It’s two games, you never know what’s gonna happen next game. We’ve been creative, maybe the bounces we get now we didn’t get earlier in the season. That’s just how hockey is.”

Kempe’s linemate Andrei Kuzmenko also notched three points in the two matches, his first three as a King after being acquired from Philly at the trade deadline. Kuzmenko’s ability to recover pucks and carve out space were evident, and now the tangible production has arrived. Kempe praised his communicativeness, despite something of a language barrier for the Russian national, and was enthused by how the newest “A.K.” was integrating himself with Kempe and captain Anže Kopitar.

The main event up front, however, has been Quinton Byfield, with his success extending through the weekend (two goals, two assists) but dating back to at least Feb. 1. Since then, he has 21 points in 20 appearances and a +16 rating, both of which lead the Kings. His plus-minus rating is tied for the second best in the entire NHL during that time, trailing only former King Matt Roy and, ironically, sitting tied with another one-time cohort, Pierre-Luc Dubois.

Warren Foegele, who scored his 20th goal of the campaign in his 500th career game on Sunday, works out with Byfield in Canada during the offseason.

“I was saying it in the summer, when I was training with him, that I thought he was going to have a big year. What we’ve seen over these last (20) games, offensively, he’s taking that next step,” Foegele said of Byfield, 2020’s No. 2 overall pick. “He’s such a big, powerful skater with a great mind. I think the biggest thing is probably confidence. You’re seeing him shoot the puck a lot more.”

The Rangers will have familiar faces in their traveling party but it’s possible neither will see the ice. Winger and Staten Islander Arthur Kaliyev landed in Midtown Manhattan after the Kings waived him, but later sustained a second serious upper-body injury. He missed a substantial part of 2024-25 with a broken clavicle and now will not play again until next season.

Kings icon Jonathan Quick recently signed a one-year extension with the Rangers to continue backing up Igor Shesterkin in goal. Quick played both games against the Kings last season, but only made 11 saves in relief after Shesterkin got the call in the only other meeting this season with the Kings, who prevailed 5-1 at Madison Square Garden on Dec. 14.

Orange County Register

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Kings face Rangers looking to extend hot streak on home ice

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