Anze Kopitar inched closer to the Kings’ all-time scoring record, notching the second goal in a three-goal first-period flurry that carried Los Angeles to a 3-2 win over the New York Islanders on Friday in Elmont, N.Y.
Kopitar, who has spent his entire 20-year career with the Kings and plans to retire following the season, scored his 448th goal to increase his career point total to 1,306, one shy of Hall of Famer Marcel Dionne.
Trevor Moore and Adrian Kempe also scored in the first for the Kings, who climbed into the second and final Western Conference wild-card spot with 69 points, one point ahead of the idle San Jose Sharks.
Goalie Darcy Kuemper made 21 saves.
Emil Heineman scored both goals for the Islanders, who fell short in their bid to mount their fifth comeback win from a multi-goal deficit since returning from the Olympic break.
Goalie Ilya Sorokin recorded 24 saves for the Islanders, who remained tied for second in the Metropolitan Division with the Pittsburgh Penguins at 79 points apiece. The teams are also tied with the Detroit Red Wings for the top Eastern Conference wild-card spot, one point ahead of the Boston Bruins.
An Islanders turnover following Bo Horvat’s faceoff win with Quinton Byfield led to Moore’s unassisted goal 3:33 into the first. Scott Mayfield collected the puck, but his shot was blocked by Moore, who surged in alone and beat Sorokin stick side.
Kopitar doubled the lead with 6:53 left, when Mikey Anderson’s shot from between the blue line and the left faceoff circle caromed to Kopitar, who tucked it into the net from the right crease.
Another turnover helped the Kings go ahead 3-0 with 1:32 remaining. Artemi Panarin intercepted Matthew Schaefer’s neutral zone pass and passed to Kempe, who managed to get his stick on the puck while holding Brayden Schenn with his left arm before the puck fluttered past Sorokin.
Heineman began the Islanders’ comeback attempt at 10:46 of the second, The left winger, stationed in the slot, extended his stick to redirect Adam Pelech’s shot, after which the puck bounced off the right post.
Heineman scored in similar fashion 3:38 into the third, when Schaefer’s shot glanced off Heineman’s stick as he was gliding back to screen Kuemper.
New York outshot the Kings 11-4 in the third, which ended with Joel Edmundson blocking Schaefer’s shot just before time expired.
–Field Level Media
