Los Angeles Kings at New York Islanders

Artemi Panarin scores twice and the Kings beat the Islanders in OT for a 2nd straight win

The Kings have back-to-back victories after losing their first six games. They were the final NHL team without a win before defeating Washington on Tuesday night.

LA was outplayed for much of the Islanders game and outshot 43-26. Panarin beat rusty backup Semyon Varlamov glove side twice, and Darcy Kuemper kept making stops even as his rebound control was lacking, finishing with 41 saves.

Kuemper cracked for the first time with just under six minutes left in the second period when rookie Victor Eklund’s shot squeezed through on a power play. Islanders face of the franchise Matthew Schaefer wired a wrist shot by Kuemper 7:06 into the third.

Clarke scored the winner with 2:18 left in 3-on-3 OT after he and his teammates possessed the puck for several shifts in a row.

Varlamov, the 38-year-old making his first home start since Nov. 25, 2024, following double partial knee replacements, denied Adrian Kempe on a penalty shot and made some big-time saves after giving up the soft goals to Panarin on the Kings' first five shots.

Panarin has four points in two games after four combined over the first six.

LA forward Quinton Byfield was out after getting hurt against the Capitals. Byfield did not take part in the morning skate and is considered day to day with an upper-body injury.

Up next Kings: Visit the New Jersey Devils on Saturday in the third of five games on their road trip.

Islanders: Open a three-game Western Conference trip Sunday at the Dallas Stars.

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LA leads series 1-0