New York Rangers goaltender Jonathan Quick (32) observes the national anthem before an NHL game against the Los Angeles Kings in New York on Sunday.
AP photo
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New York Rangers center Tyler Pitlick calls for a pass from teammate Ryan Lindgren during the first period of an NHL game against the Los Angeles Kings in New York on Sunday.
AP photo
Los Angeles Kings left wing Trevor Moore (12) is defended by New York Rangers defenseman K’Andre Miller during the first period of an NHL hockey in New York on Sunday.
AP photo
NEW YORK — Mika Zibanejad and Jimmy Vesey scored second-period goals, Jonathan Quick made 25 saves against his former team and the New York Rangers downed the Los Angeles Kings 4-1 on Sunday night.
The Kings lost their second straight road game after winning an NHL-record 11 consecutive games away from home to start the season. Los Angeles lost 3-2 in overtime to the Islanders on Saturday.
Vincent Trocheck had three assists while Jonny Brodzinski and Will Cuylle also scored for the Rangers, who had lost two straight for the first time this season.
Quick, who improved to 8-0-1, made an acrobatic glove save on Carl Grundstrom at 13:38 of the third, eliciting cheers from the crowd.
Quick played 16 seasons for the Kings, with 370 wins and 2.46 goals-against average. In addition to winning Stanley Cups in 2012 and 2014, he was a Vezina Trophy finalist in 2011-12 and 2015-16.
“Obviously, it’s special,” Quick said. “This summer when the schedule comes out, you know when you’re playing them. The effort from the guys in front of me — blocking shots — was tremendous.”
Kings forward Phillip Danault ruined Quick’s shutout bid at 6:37 of the third with a power-play goal. Adrian Kempe and Anze Kopitar assisted. Danault left the game midway through the first after he was accidentally struck in the face with a puck shot into the Los Angeles zone by Zibanejad. He returned wearing a cage as extra facial protection.
“I don’t think we played poorly. We just didn’t play with enough to give us a chance of winning,” Kings coach Todd McLellan said. ”Five games in eight nights is very taxing.”
Brodzinski scored on the power play at 11:32 of the third to put the Rangers ahead 3-1. It was the first career power-play for the 30-year-old Brodzinski.
Cuylle made it 4-1 with his fifth at 15:24.
“I think it was exactly what we needed to do,” Rangers coach Peter Laviolette said of his team’s response to Saturday’s 4-0 loss at Washington. ”They are a good hockey team, real good defensively. We stuck with it and generated chances in the second and third. A really good start-to-finish game.”
Zibanejad put the home team on the board with a power-play goal at 8:27 of the second when he one-timed a pass from Trocheck past Kings goaltender Pheonix Copley.
Artemi Panarin also assisted on the goal and has points in 21 of 26 games this season.
Vesey made it 2-0 at 17:27 of the second, sliding a backhand through Copley’s pads. Copley had 23 saves.
Quick finished last season with Vegas after he was traded to Columbus but didn’t play a game for the Blue Jackets. He signed a free-agent contract with the Rangers last summer and has been stellar as Igor Shesterkin’s backup. He said Sunday’s game was unique.
“Before the game, I just wanted it to start,” he said. “I never played them before and I was replaying a lot of memories. These are guys I played with for a long time.”
The Rangers have won four straight against the Kings. New York improved to 10-2-1 against teams from the Western Conference and 6-0-0 against Pacific Division teams.
Quick became the sixth goaltender in NHL history to win his first game against his former club after playing at least 500 contests for his original team.
The others are: Marc-Andre Fleury (for Chicago in Dec. 2017 against Pittsburgh); Ryan Miller (for Vancouver in Jan. 2015 against Buffalo); Patrick Roy (for Colorado in Feb. 1996 against Montreal); Ed Giacomin (for Detroit against the Rangers on Nov. 2, 1975); and Gump Worsley (for Montreal against the Rangers on Oct. 12, 1963.)
OILERS 4, DEVILS 1
EDMONTON, Alberta — Calvin Pickard made 26 saves for his first NHL victory in almost two years and the Edmonton Oilers ran their winning streak to seven, beating the New Jersey Devils 4-1 on Sunday.
Pickard last won in the NHL on Jan. 28, 2022, with the Detroit Red Wings. He made his fourth appearance of the season for the Oilers and also has played four games this season for Bakersfield in the American Hockey League.
Derek Ryan, Evan Bouchard Connor McDavid and Evander Kane, with an empty-netter, scored to help Edmonton improve to 12-12-1. Kane and McDavid each added an assist, and Bouchard extended his points streak to 11 games and McDavid pushed his to nine.
Jesper Bratt scored for New Jersey, and Akira Schmid made 26 saves. Coming off their third straight victory Saturday in Calgary, the Devils dropped to 14-11-1.
PANTHERS 5, BLUE JACKETS 2
COLUMBUS, Ohio — Gustav Forsling had a goal and an assist and Florida had a three-goal third period to beat Columbus for its third straight victory.
Carter Verhaeghe scored for his 200th NHL point, Aleksander Barkov had a power-play goal, and Matthew Tkachuk and Eetu Luostarinen added empty-net goals. Sam Reinhart had four assist for his 13th multi-point game of the season, and Anthony Stolarz stopped 18 shots.
Yegor Chinakhov and Dmitri Voronkov scored for Columbus. The Blue Jackets have lost four of five.
JETS 4, DUCKS 2
ANAHEIM, Calif. — Gabe Vilardi broke a tie with 1:42 left with the third of Winnipeg four third-period goals in a comeback victory over Anaheim.
Winnipeg rallied after losing scoring leader Kyle Connor to a knee injury in the second period when he took a knee from Ducks defenseman Ryan Strome, who received a game misconduct.
The Jets have won four straight and nine of 12, while the Ducks have dropped three in a row and 12 of 13.
Nino Niederreiter and Morgan Barron also scored, Mark Scheifele added an empty-netter with 29 seconds remaining and Connor Hellebuyck made 25 saves. Alex Killorn and Adam Henrique scored for Anaheim.
CAPITALS 4, BLACKHAWKS 2
CHICAGO — Nic Dowd scored twice, Darcy Kuemper made 33 saves and Washington beat Chicago for its second straight victory.
Anthony Mantha, Dylan Strome and Dowd scored in a 7:12 span in the second period to put Washington ahead. Dowd sealed it with his second of the night with 4:02 left in the third.
Philipp Kurashev had a goal and an assist, and Connor Murphy also scored for Chicago. NHL rookie scoring leader Connor Bedard assisted on both goals.
PREDATORS 2, CANADIENS 1
MONTREAL — Colton Sissons scored twice, Juuse Saros made 36 saves and Nashville held off Montreal.
Captain Roman Josi assisted on both goals to help Nashville rebound from a 4-0 loss at Toronto on Saturday night. The Predators have won 10 of 13 to improve to 15-13-0.
Jake Evans scored for Montreal and Jake Allen made 30 saves. The Canadiens were coming off a 3-2 shootout victory in Buffalo on Saturday night.