Brandt Clarke overtime heroics gave the Los Angeles Kings a 3-2 win over the New York Islanders on Thursday night at UBS Arena. The defenseman scored 2:43 into the extra period for the Kings’ second straight win. Artemi Panarin scored twice in the first period, and Darcy Kuemper made 41 saves as the Islanders outshot Los Angeles 43-27. The Kings are now 2-4-2. Quinton Byfield missed the game with an upper-body injury and remains day-to-day.
How the Brandt Clarke Overtime Winner Happened
The game ended after a long Los Angeles possession in 3-on-3 play. On an odd-man rush, Kempe dropped the puck to Clarke in the right circle. Clarke roofed a shot over the glove of Semyon Varlamov and in off the bar. The NHL game summary shows Kempe and Kuemper with the assists, so the goalie picked up his first point of the season on the winner.
“We possessed the puck for like three minutes there, tired some guys out, forced them to make a change they probably don’t want to make,” Clarke said, per NHL.com. “And then we come in on an odd-man rush and it ends up with me with a good lane at the net. So, I was happy to bear down there.”
Clarke also had the primary assist on the first goal of the night and finished with a goal and an assist in 19:54 of ice time. He now has two goals and five assists through eight games. That ties Kempe and Alex Laferriere for second on the team in points (seven), behind only Panarin, per NHL.com team stats.
Watch the winner: BRANDT CLARKE WINS IT IN OVERTIME!!!!
Artemi Panarin Strikes Twice in the First Period
Panarin opened the scoring at 5:51 of the first period on a rush from the right circle. Laferriere and Clarke assisted. NHL.com reported that Varlamov was cheating toward a cross-ice pass, and the shot went over his glove. At 16:37, Matthew Kessel blocked Panarin’s first shot from the left circle, but the rebound came straight back to him and he beat Varlamov under the glove arm for a 2-0 lead.
The two goals give Panarin six this season, the team lead, and nine points in eight games. He has five points in his last two games: a goal and two assists in Tuesday’s 5-2 win at Washington, then Thursday’s two goals.
“Even without those kind of points, I try every game (to make a difference),” Panarin said, per NHL.com. “Every game I work, and then thanks to my partners. Our line, I feel, hasn’t looked bad these past couple of games. Yeah, just have to try and keep working.”
Panarin played 21:08, and Kempe led all Kings forwards with five shots on goal. Varlamov, 38, was making his first start at UBS Arena since Nov. 25, 2024, per NHL.com.
Darcy Kuemper Holds the Fort
For two periods, Kuemper was the reason the Kings still led. The Islanders outshot Los Angeles 32-15 through 40 minutes and had 15 shots to the Kings’ six in the first period alone, per the NHL game summary.
“Kuemper was phenomenal,” Kings coach Peter Laviolette said, per NHL.com. “I mean, the first two periods we gave up probably 20 attempts in the first two periods, 20 chances in the first two. If he wasn’t as good as he was then it’d be a different story.”
New York finally broke through on a power play at 14:06 of the second period. Victor Eklund’s one-timer from above the left circle slipped under Kuemper’s left pad. Brian Dumoulin was in the box for tripping. Matthew Schaefer tied it at 7:06 of the third with a wrist shot to Kuemper’s blocker side. It was Schaefer’s first goal of the season, per NHL.com.
Kuemper’s biggest save came with 57 seconds left in regulation, when he stopped Eklund’s rebound attempt with his right pad. He finished 41-of-43 (.953) and is now 2-3-1 on the season.
Missed Chances and a Third-Period Fix
The Kings had a chance to go up 3-0 in the second period. Schaefer hooked Kempe on a breakaway at 10:59 and Kempe was awarded a penalty shot, but Varlamov stopped it with his right pad. Los Angeles also won only 20 of 54 faceoffs.
Laviolette said the shape of the game changed late. “The first few periods we were chasing the game, and then I think just small adjustments in the third period and really shut them down,” he said, per NHL.com. “I think we only gave up maybe two chances in the third, none in the overtime.”
The shot totals back that up: New York had 10 shots in the third and one in overtime.
Islanders coach Peter DeBoer said he “loved the first 40 minutes” but credited the Kings: “they’re a good defensive team around their net.”
Quinton Byfield Status
Byfield was a game-time decision and did not play, per NHL.com. The AP reported that he skipped the morning skate and is considered day-to-day with an upper-body injury. He was hurt in Tuesday’s game at Washington after 2:44 of ice time. Jared Wright, recalled from the AHL’s Ontario Reign on Wednesday as what Laviolette called a precaution, drew into the lineup. Wright played 10:09 with two shots and took a holding minor in the second period.
RotoWire wrote that Byfield “still might be an option Saturday in New Jersey.” That remains unconfirmed. The Kings have not announced his status for the Devils game, and no timetable beyond “day-to-day” has been given. Byfield has a goal and an assist in seven games this season.
By the Numbers
- Final: Kings 3, Islanders 2 (OT). Attendance: 14,397.
- Shots: Islanders 43, Kings 27.
- Power play: Kings 0-for-2, Islanders 1-for-2.
- Ice time leaders: Erik Gustafsson 22:45, Laferriere 22:17, Drew Doughty 21:58.
- Three stars: Panarin, Kuemper, Schaefer.
Standings and What’s Next
The Kings were the last NHL team without a win before Tuesday, per the AP. At 2-4-2 they have six points, sixth in the Pacific Division, with 20 goals for and 29 against. The Islanders fell to 5-3-2 but extended their point streak to five games (3-0-2).
The road trip continues:
- Saturday, Oct. 24: at New Jersey Devils (6-4-0), Prudential Center, 12:30 p.m. PT.
- Monday, Oct. 26: at New York Rangers, Madison Square Garden, 4 p.m. PT.
- Tuesday, Oct. 27: at Chicago Blackhawks, United Center, 5 p.m. PT.
- Thursday, Oct. 29: home vs. Ottawa Senators, Crypto.com Arena, 7 p.m. PT.
Saturday’s starting goalie has not been announced.
Source Notes
- Shot total: NHL.com and the official game summary list 27 Kings shots. The AP recap says the Kings were outshot 43-26. We use the official 27.
- Panarin’s recent points: NHL.com says five points (three goals, two assists) in the last two games. The AP wrote “four points in two games.” The official box scores show five (1G, 2A at Washington; 2G at New York), so NHL.com is correct.
- Byfield: NHL.com says “game-time decision,” and the AP says day-to-day after he missed the morning skate. These fit together. His availability Saturday is unconfirmed.
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