Rangers vs. Kings: Lineups, storylines as Quick, Gavrikov face former team
Two of the lowest scoring teams in the NHL meet up Tuesday night, when the New York Rangers visit the Los Angeles Kings at Crypto.com Arena.
The Rangers (21-23-6) are 27th in the League, averaging 2.66 goals-for per game; the Kings (19-16-13) are 31st, next to last, scoring just 2.54 goals per game. What separates these teams, though, is that L.A. sits fourth in the NHL, with a team goals-against average of 2.71. New York is tied for 19th (3.10 GAA), exacerbated by allowing 35 goals in the past six games, with No. 1 goalie Igor Shesterkin sidelined by a lower-body injury.
Neither team’s done much winning of late. The Rangers lost for the 10th time in 13 games (3-8-2) Monday night, when they opened this three-game trip to California with a 5-3 defeat at the Anaheim Ducks. The Kings are on a four-game skid (0-1-3), and lost three straight in overtime, including one in the shootout and one in the five-minute OT period when swept in back-to-back games against the Ducks this past weekend.
The Rangers enter play with 16 road wins this season, second most in the NHL. And their best players are on a roll. Artemi Panarin scored a power-play goal and had an assist Monday to extend his point streak to 10 games. Mike Zibanejad brings a nine-game point streak into action Tuesday, and J.T. Miller has six assists in his past three games.
The Kings are without captain Anze Kopitar, who remains on IR with a lower-body injury; and star forward Adrian Kempe has one goal in his past seven games. Even with that and a subpar 7-10-7 home record, the Kings are two points out of the second wild card in the Western Conference.
However, the Rangers haven’t had much success at Crytpo.com Arena the past decade. Since Jan. 8, 2015, the Rangers lost seven of 10 (3-7-0) in L.A. And, of course, they lost an additional three overtime games to the Kings in this building during the 2014 Stanley Cup Final, making it 10 losses in their past 13 visits.
3 storylines when Rangers visit Kings
Hello old friend
You likely remember that Jonathan Quick was the Kings goalie for each of those victories against the Rangers in the 2014 Cup Final, including the Game 5 double-OT thriller that ended New York’s season and championship dreams.
Now, one day before his 40th birthday, Quick starts for the Rangers against his former team, in what very well could be his final NHL game in LA. So, does that factor into coach Mike Sullivan’ starting ‘s decision to start the three-time Stanley Cup champion on Tuesday?
“It does,” Sullivan told the New York Post. “Without a doubt, it for sure does. I think ‘Quickie’ deserves that.”
Quick hasn’t won a decision since Nov. 7, and sat the previous two games in favor of Spencer Martin after he allowed 22 goals on 103 shots (.786 save percentage) over five starts following Shesterkin’s injury. The winningest United States-born goal in NHL history (407) is 1-1-0 in three games (two starts) against his longtime team, with a miniscule 1.18 goals-against average.
Welcome back
This marks Vladislav Gavrikov’s first time back in LA since he signed a seven-year, $49 million contract with the Rangers on July 1. The 30-year-old defenseman played 179 games over parts of three seasons with the Kings, including 2024-25 when he helped them be one of the best defensive teams in the NHL.
Gavrikov’s been terrific for the Rangers, a steady top-pair force — even without injured partner Adam Fox — and a surprising contributor offensively from the blue line. He scored his career-high eighth goal Monday, and his 16 points are second most among Rangers defensemen, behind Fox (28 points in 30 games). Gavrikov also scored his first two power-play goals in the NHL, and averages 23:54 of ice time, the highest TOI of his career.
Gabe Perreault earning praise
Rangers rookie forward Gabe Perreault didn’t score a goal nor record a point, and didn’t even have a shot on goal Monday against the Ducks. Yet a pair of his veteran teammates praised the 20-year-old postgame for his all-around game and play away from the puck, as much as his high-level skill.
“He had a helluva game today,” Miller said Monday night. “He was in such good spots all over the rink today. You can tell he’s learning a lot as he goes.”
Perreault did have a glorious scoring chance driving to the net, and impressed with his willingness to get to the dirty areas against the Ducks.
“I think Gabe has been fantastic, he improves even more every night, and he’s shown flashes of elite skill. And he plays the right way, too,” Vincent Trocheck added.
With the Rangers pivoting to a retool, Perreault’s development in the top-six forward group is crucial the rest of this season, since the 2023 first-round pick is viewed as a key member of the core for years to come on Broadway. He enters play with seven points (three goals, four assists) in 22 games with the Rangers, and was recently named an AHL All-Star for his strong start this season with Hartford.
New York Rangers projected lineup
Gabe Perreault — J.T. Miller — Mika Zibanejad
Artemi Panarin — Vincent Trocheck — Alexis Lafreniere
Brennan Othmann — Noah Laba — Will Cuylle
Jonny Brodzinski — Sam Carrick –Taylor Raddysh
Vladislav Gavrikov — Braden Schneider
Matthew Robertson — Will Borgen
Carson Soucy – Scott Morrow
Jonathan Quick
Spencer Martin
Rangers vs. Kings: When, where, what time, how to watch
Who: New York Rangers vs. Los Angeles Kings
When: Tuesday, Jan. 20 at 10 p.m. ET
Where: Crypto.com Arena
How to watch: MSG
