Flyers outlast Kings 4-3 in shootout for their 4th victory in 5 games

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Trevor Zegras and Matvei Michkov scored in a shootout to give the Philadelphia Flyers their fourth victory in five games, 4-3 over the Los Angeles Kings on Thursday night.

Noah Cates had a goal and an assist, Travis Konecny and Travis Sanheim also scored, and Samuel Ersson made 22 saves. The Flyers remained six points behind Boston and Detroit for the two Eastern Conference wild-card spots.

On Wednesday night at Anaheim, Cates scored in overtime in the Flyers' 3-2 victory over the Ducks.

Adrian Kempe and Artemi Panarin failed on their shootout attempts for Los Angeles, though the Kings still moved into the second wild card in the Western Conference.

Artemi Panarin had a goal and an assist for Los Angeles. Quinton Byfield and Anze Kopitar also scored, and Darcy Kuemper made 17 saves.

Panarin ensured the Kings picked up a point in the standings with a blistering wrist shot on a power play that tied it at 3 with 9:32 remaining.

The Flyers were without forwards Sean Couturier (upper body), Luke Glendening (lower body) and Denver Barkey (upper body), leaving them to play with 11 forwards and seven defensemen.

Flyers: At San Jose on Saturday.

Kings: Host Buffalo on Saturday.

AP NHL: https://apnews.com/hub/nhl

Los Angeles Kings center Anze Kopitar (11) and Philadelphia Flyers left wing Noah Cates, left, battle for the puck during the second period of an NHL hockey game, Thursday, March 19, 2026, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Jessie Alcheh)

Philadelphia Flyers center Trevor Zegras (46) battles against Los Angeles Kings defenseman Brian Dumoulin (2) during the first period of an NHL hockey game, Thursday, March 19, 2026, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Jessie Alcheh)

Los Angeles Kings center Anze Kopitar, second from right, celebrates with right wing Adrian Kempe, third from right, and defenseman Brandt Clarke, left, as Philadelphia Flyers center Trevor Zegras (46) looks on during the second period of an NHL hockey game, Thursday, March 19, 2026, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Jessie Alcheh)

Philadelphia Flyers defenseman Travis Sanheim, left, celebrates with left wing Noah Cates (27) and defenseman Rasmus Ristolainen, right, after scoring a goal during the second period of an NHL hockey game against the Los Angeles Kings, Thursday, March 19, 2026, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Jessie Alcheh)

Philadelphia Flyers center Trevor Zegras (46) skates after scoring a goal as Los Angeles Kings goaltender Darcy Kuemper (35) looks on from the ice and referee Cody Beach, back right, gestures during a shootout of an NHL hockey game, Thursday, March 19, 2026, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Jessie Alcheh)

LJUBLJANA, Slovenia (AP) — Slovenia’s parliament on Friday appointed right-wing populist politician Janez Jansa as the new prime minister, in a shift for the small European Union country that was previously run by a liberal government.

Lawmakers backed Jansa in a 51-36 vote in the 90-member assembly. The new prime minister will need to come back to Parliament within the next 15 days for another vote to confirm his future Cabinet.

Jansa's appointment concludes a postelection stalemate in Slovenia after a parliamentary ballot two months ago ended practically in a tie. Former liberal Prime Minister Robert Golob's Freedom Movement won by a thin margin but he was unable to muster a parliamentary majority.

Jansa and his populist Slovenian Democratic Party signed a coalition agreement this week with several right-wing groups. The new government also has the backing of a nonestablishment Truth party that first emerged as an anti-vaccination movement during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The new term in office will be the fourth for the veteran Slovenian politician. Jansa, 67, is an admirer of U.S. President Donald Trump and was a close ally of former populist Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, who was defeated in a landslide election last month.

Jansa in a speech listed the economy, fight against corruption and red tape, and decentralization as key goals of the future government. He has promised to lower taxes for the rich and support private education and healthcare.

Critical of the previous government's alleged “inefficiency," Jansa said the new government will turn Slovenia into “a country of opportunity, prosperity and justice, where each responsible citizen will feel safe and accepted."

Like Orban, Jansa was staunchly anti-immigrant during the huge migration wave to Europe in 2015. Also like Orban, Jansa has faced accusations of clamping down on democratic institutions and press freedoms during a previous term in 2020-2022. This led to protests at the time, and scrutiny from the European Union.

Golob in his speech described Jansa as “the greatest threat to Slovenia’s sovereignty and democracy."

Alleging that Jansa had threatened to arrest him, Golob said Jansa's "idea of democracy is that anyone who dares speak a word against you deserves only the worst.”

Jansa, a supporter of Israel, also has been a stern critic of the Golob government's 2024 recognition of a Palestinian state.

The vote on March 22 was marred by allegations of foreign influence and corruption. The around 2 million people in the Alpine nation are deeply divided between liberals and conservatives.

Janez Jansa, center, addresses the Slovenian Parliament during a session in Ljubljana, Slovenia, Friday, May 22, 2026, before appointing him as prime minister, ending a political deadlock after tight elections in March. (AP Photo/Igor Kupljenik)

Janez Jansa arrives for a session of the Slovenian Parliament in Ljubljana, Slovenia, Friday, May 22, 2026, before appointing him as prime minister, ending a political deadlock after tight elections in March. (AP Photo/Igor Kupljenik)

Janez Jansa addresses the Slovenian Parliament during a session in Ljubljana, Slovenia, Friday, May 22, 2026, before appointing him as prime minister, ending a political deadlock after tight elections in March. (AP Photo/Igor Kupljenik)