Rangers lay beatdown on Kings by 4-1 final

Dec 10, 2023; New York, New York, USA; New York Rangers center Mika Zibanejad (93) skates against the Los Angeles Kings during the third period at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Danny Wild-USA TODAY Sports

© Danny Wild-USA TODAY Sports

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 Johnny 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.

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.

Brodzinski scored on the power play at 11:32 of the third to put the Rangers ahead 3-1.

Cuylle made it 4-1 with his fifth at 15:24.

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 played parts of 16 seasons for the Kings, with 370 wins and a 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.

He finished last season…