RANGERS END SLIDE AT FOUR
Mika Zibanejad briefly left Sunday’s game with an injury and the Rangers’ roster issues became even more problematic.
However, Zibanejad returned and scored a goal to help the Rangers end a four-game skid with a 5-2 victory over the Kings.
The team’s No.1 center left late in the second period after blocking Drew Doughty’s shot on a power play. He returned for the start of the third period.
Vincent Trocheck notched two goals and an assist, Artemi Panarin picked up a goal and an assist, Alexis Lafreniere also scored and Adam Fox assisted on two goals for the Rangers. Igor Shesterkin stopped 26 shots.
“(Zibanejad) coming back in the third was definitely a relief,” Trocheck said.
“It’s a big one for us, just the way we’ve been playing the last couple of games, going on a little slide there,” Trocheck said. “We made sure we were able to bring it back.”
Rangers defenseman K’Andre Miller was given a match penalty and ejected after spitting on Doughty late in the first period, leaving the Rangers with just five defensemen the remainder of the game.
“The kid feels bad about it,” Rangers coach Gerard Gallant said of Miller. “He said it was an accident.”
“It’s unfortunate,” Doughty said. “Whether or not he meant to do it, I have no idea. It’s pretty big loogie on my face, so I was pretty (miffed).”
Also, Rangers defenseman Ryan
Lindgren was not in the lineup a day after he was injured on a hit by Capitals forward T.J. Oshie in the first period of Saturday’s loss. He is listed as day to day.
Viktor Arvidsson scored a power-play goal late in the second period, Matt Roy scored early in the third and Phillip Danault assisted on two goals for Los Angeles.
Jonathan Quick stopped four of seven shots for the Kings before he was pulled after Trocheck’s second goal late in the second. He was replaced by Pheonix Copley, who stopped 12 shots. The Kings are 1-21 so far on their five-game road trip.
“When you play the cream of the crop in this league, you can’t have off nights,” Kings coach Todd McLellan said.
Shesterkin bounced back a day after he was pulled after allowing five goals on 22 shots in a 6-3 loss at Washington.