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Kings top Rangers to close strong trip in Artemi Panarin’s return to MSG

March 17, 2026

NEW YORK — Alex Laferriere had a goal and two assists to lead the Kings to a 4-1 victory over the New York Rangers on Monday night in Artemi Panarin’s return to Madison Square Garden.

Mikey Anderson posted a goal and an assist, Drew Doughty and Trevor Moore also scored, and Quinton Byfield had two assists for the Kings (28-24-15), who went 3-1-1 on their five-game trip and moved into a tie with the Seattle Kraken for the second wild-card playoff spot in the Western Conference. Darcy Kuemper stopped 21 shots.

Panarin, who had the secondary assist on Doughty’s goal, was playing his first game against his old team since he was traded to the Kings last month.

“To be honest, I was nervous the whole game,” Panarin told NHL.com. “I’m glad guys scored the goals tonight, and then got a good win so it was nice. I was not much thinking about hockey tonight.”

The 34-year-old forward played 6½ seasons for the Rangers, leading them in points in each of his first six full seasons, before they traded him to the Kings for prospect right wing Liam Greentree and a conditional third-round draft pick on Feb. 4. Panarin subsequently signed a two-year, $22 million contract extension with the Kings.

“Obviously that’s a big one for ‘Bread,’” Byfield told NHL.com. “You know, being a new member of our team and fitting in so well, super excited to have him, and we wanted to really do it for him in his homecoming. Obviously, you could just hear about all the cheers, how much they love him here and how much he meant to the city. It was a big win for us and a big win for Bread.”

Vincent Trocheck scored and Igor Shesterkin made 22 saves for the Rangers (28-31-8), who had won a season-high four in a row. Trocheck’s power-play goal 2:29 into the third period spoiled Kuemper’s bid for his third shutout of the season.

Panarin, who received a video tribute and ovation from the crowd during the first television timeout, had 607 points (205 goals, 402 assists), ninth in Rangers history, in 482 regular-season games for the team.

“Emotional, especially warmup,” Panarin told NHL.com. “When the game started, that was better. … Since I stepped on ice, and I saw all those (Panarin) jerseys. I felt good about that. It means for me a lot, I spent almost seven years here.”

The Kings scored first on Doughty’s fifth goal of the season with 6:31 left in the first period. Doughty flung a wrist shot from the left wall that Shesterkin could not see with four bodies in front of the crease.

The Kings made it 2-0 during a delayed penalty at 4:31 of the second period, when they outshot the Rangers 16-3.

Laferriere took an off-speed one-timer from between the circles and Shesterkin made a left pad save, but the rebound came to Anderson at his side and he stuffed the puck into the net.

Trocheck was called for high-sticking Byfield 17 seconds later and the Kings scored 11 seconds into the power play.

A deflected centering pass by Laferriere came to Anze Kopitar at the inside edge of the right face-off circle. His shot was saved, but the puck popped in the air and Laferriere swatted it in from the side of the net for a 3-0 lead at 4:59.

“Second period was really good. We pressed hard, we were physical. We made it really hard,” Kings interim coach D.J. Smith told NHL.com. “… Just all-around a gutsy effort by the guys at the end of the trip.”

Trocheck’s 14th goal of the season prevented New York from being shut out for the 10th time this season. New York was on a power play when Trocheck scored on a deflection from between the hash marks at 2:29 of the third period.

The Kings were outshot 13-2 in the third period, but they held on to finish their trip on a high note.

“That was big for us,” Byfield told NHL.com. “I feel like the last couple of games, you know, that we’ve lost, we’ve given up some leads. We’ve came back and given up leads, so just to be able to hold them off after they got a power-play goal was big for us and big for the confidence in the group.”

Moore sealed the win by scoring into an empty net with 1:48 left.

Adrian Kempe, who leads the Kings in goals (26), assists (32) and points (58), was a late scratch due to a lower-body injury.

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The Kings begin a two-game homestand Thursday at 7:30 p.m. against Philadelphia.

Orange County Register

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Kings top Rangers to close strong trip in Artemi Panarin’s return to MSG

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