ny islanders were down 5-3 late in the third period Thursday night, March 5, 2026, at Crypto. com Arena in Los Angeles. The Los Angeles Kings held the edge with 1: 23 left in regulation, with shots on goal listed at 35 for Los Angeles and 33 for New York. The swing moment early was Artemi Panarin’s first goal since joining the Kings, coming at 3: 17 of the first period, as Anze Kopitar picked up an assist in his 1, 500th NHL regular-season game.
Game state late: Kings up 5-3 with 1: 23 left (ET)
As of 9: 23 PM ET on Thursday, the scoreboard snapshot had Los Angeles leading New York 5-3 with 1: 23 remaining in the third period. Team special teams were listed as Los Angeles going 1-for-3 on the power play and New York going 0-for-3. One Islanders goal came shorthanded, while one Kings goal came on the power play.
The Kings’ scoring opened at 3: 17 of the first period when Artemi Panarin scored, assisted by Anze Kopitar and Mikey Anderson. Los Angeles extended the lead in the second period with goals from Samuel Helenius at 14: 20 and Mikey Anderson at 15: 51, before New York got on the board at 19: 59 when Bo Horvat scored, assisted by Jean-Gabriel Pageau.
Ny Islanders rally attempts: shorthanded spark, but Kings add key third-period goals
The third period featured a quick push-and-pull. Los Angeles made it 4-1 at 2: 30 on a power-play goal from Alex Laferriere, assisted by Brandt Clarke and Darcy Kuemper. New York answered at 4: 30 with a shorthanded goal by Adam Pelech, assisted by Jean-Gabriel Pageau, cutting into the deficit.
But Los Angeles regained breathing room at 8: 30 when Adrian Kempe scored, assisted by Panarin and Clarke. New York added a late goal at 18: 01 from Matthew Schaefer, assisted by Matthew Barzal and Anders Lee, narrowing the margin to 5-3 as the clock ran down.
Panarin’s first Kings goal and Kopitar milestone drive early narrative
Artemi Panarin’s opening-period goal was described as a finish off Anze Kopitar’s centering pass, with Panarin pulling back to his forehand and firing the puck home. The scoring play marked Panarin’s first goal since joining Los Angeles, while Kopitar’s assist came in his 1, 500th NHL regular-season game.
That early strike set the tone for a Kings attack that produced five goals and 35 shots on net in the game snapshot, while New York stayed within range through Pageau’s two assists and a mix of even-strength and shorthanded contributions.
What’s next
With 9: 23 PM ET showing 1: 23 left and Los Angeles leading 5-3, the immediate next development is the final horn and official closing numbers—particularly whether the special-teams story holds, with New York still listed at 0-for-3 on the power play. For the ny islanders, the focus turns to the late push that brought them within two and the quick adjustments needed after allowing a first-period opener and multiple momentum goals across the second and third.
