Kings Defeat Islanders in Southern California Matchup

Artemi Panarin scores first goal for Los Angeles in 5-3 win

Published on Mar. 6, 2026

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Artemi Panarin scored his first goal for the Los Angeles Kings, helping the team defeat the visiting New York Islanders 5-3 on Thursday night. The Kings outshot the Islanders 19-5 in the first period and got goals from Panarin, Adrian Kempe, Mikey Anderson, Samuel Helenius, and Alex Laferriere. The Islanders scored three goals in the second and third periods, but it wasn't enough to overcome the Kings' early lead.

Why it matters

This game was an important matchup between two teams looking to solidify their playoff positioning in the competitive Western Conference. The Kings were coming off a tough stretch, having lost six of their previous seven games, while the Islanders were looking to bounce back from a road loss to the Anaheim Ducks the previous night.

The details

The Kings jumped out to a 3-0 lead by the midway point of the second period, with Panarin, Helenius, and Anderson all finding the back of the net. The Islanders were able to cut the deficit to 3-1 before the end of the second, but the Kings extended their lead to 4-1 and 5-2 in the third period. The Islanders made a late push, scoring a third goal, but were unable to complete the comeback.

  • The game was played on Thursday, March 6, 2026.
  • Panarin scored his first goal for the Kings at 3:17 of the first period.
  • Helenius scored to make it 2-0 Kings at 14:20 of the second period.
  • Anderson scored to make it 3-0 Kings at 15:51 of the second period.
  • Horvat scored for the Islanders with one second left in the second period to make it 3-1.

The players

Artemi Panarin

A skilled forward who was recently acquired by the Los Angeles Kings from the New York Rangers.

Adrian Kempe

A forward for the Los Angeles Kings who had a goal and an assist in the game.

Mikey Anderson

A defenseman for the Los Angeles Kings who scored a goal in the game.

Bo Horvat

A forward for the New York Islanders who scored a goal in the game.

Ilya Sorokin

The goaltender for the New York Islanders who made 30 saves in the game.

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What they’re saying

“We must continue to build on this performance and maintain our focus as we push towards the playoffs.”

— Artemi Panarin (Los Angeles Times)

“We dug ourselves too deep of a hole early on and couldn't quite complete the comeback. We'll need to regroup and be ready for our next game.”

— Bo Horvat, Forward, New York Islanders (Newsday)

What’s next

The Kings will look to build on this win as they continue their push for a playoff spot, while the Islanders will aim to bounce back in their next game.

The takeaway

This game showcased the Kings' offensive firepower and ability to jump out to an early lead, while also highlighting the Islanders' resilience in fighting back despite the early deficit. Both teams will need to maintain this level of play as the playoff race heats up in the final stretch of the season.