A Huge Milestone for Kuemper, A Brutal Result for the Kings

Reaching 500 career starts is a major achievement for any NHL goaltender. Darcy Kuemper hit that mark Thursday night, but the milestone came with a performance he’d probably rather forget.

Kuemper became the 87th goaltender in NHL history to make 500 career starts as the Los Angeles Kings hosted the New York Islanders at Crypto.com Arena. Unfortunately, the night didn’t go as planned. He allowed four goals on 20 shots before being pulled, finishing with a .800 save percentage in a 5-2 loss.

The Islanders struck first when former Kings forward Brayden Schenn capitalized on a rebound. Trevor Moore answered for Los Angeles, briefly bringing the game level, but New York took control from there.

Matthew Schaefer put the Islanders back in front on the power play, and Victor Eklund extended the lead to 3-1 after finishing a rush set up by Schenn.

The Kings had a chance to get back into the game on a five-on-three power play. Artemi Panarin’s shot created a rebound that Quinton Byfield put away, with Kevin Fiala picking up an assist in his first game back in the lineup. The goal cut the deficit to one, but Los Angeles couldn’t build on the momentum.

New York restored its two-goal cushion early in the third period when Simon Holmstrom found the net after the Kings failed to clear a loose puck from the slot. An empty-net goal later sealed the 5-2 result.

For Kuemper, the milestone still stands as a significant career accomplishment. But with the Islanders finding the net four times against him on just 20 shots, it was a tough way for the former Stanley Cup champion to celebrate the honor.