The Kings left Sunday afternoon with a split at the 2026 Rookie Faceoff, and they did it in convincing fashion. Los Angeles rolled past Anaheim 4-1, getting a two-goal night from Koehn Ziemmer and two more from Liam Lefebvre to even its record in the tournament.
Ziemmer set the tone first. Just under 10 minutes into the game, Michael Mastrodominico circled behind his own net and fired a stretch pass up the left side, springing Ziemmer behind the Ducks’ defense. He didn’t waste the chance, snapping a quick shot under the crossbar for a 1-0 Kings lead and his first goal of the event.
That same duo helped Los Angeles stretch the margin early in the second period. After Grant Slukynsky won an offensive-zone faceoff, the puck found Ziemmer in the slot, and he made no mistake again. Another fast release beat Anaheim goaltender Tomas Suchanek, and the Kings were suddenly in control at 2-0.
Anaheim finally answered 6:09 into the third. Slukynsky came up with a strong right-pad save on what looked like the Ducks’ best look of the game, but the visitors stayed on it. Lucas Pettersson finished the sequence with a one-timer from the right circle that beat Slukynsky back to the near post and cut the deficit to 2-1.
The comeback didn’t last long. With a little more than six minutes remaining, Jack Hughes forced a turnover on the forecheck and eventually got the puck at the center point. His shot was stopped, but Liam Lefebvre cleaned up the rebound for his first goal of the tournament and a 3-1 Kings lead.
Lefebvre wasn’t done there. With 3:31 left, he struck again, this time by tipping in a Michael Mastrodomenico shot from the center point. Stationed in the low slot, Lefebvre got just enough of it to send the puck past Suchanek and close out the 4-1 win.
In Other News...
Kings Prospect Liam Lefebvre Just Showed The Edge They Want
A weekend in San Jose gave Liam Lefebvre exactly the kind of early pro test the Kings have been looking for from one of their younger prospects. The 19-year-old stepped into two games and showed a little of everything, including a fight in the first one and a much more noticeable offensive impact in the second, when he scored twice and helped tilt the tone of the night.
Between games, Lefebvre talked about the adjustments the group made, pointing to a tighter approach in its own end and a more assertive mentality when it came to getting pucks on goal. He also noted how much faster the game feels compared with junior hockey, and how valuable it is to learn through the coaching staff and the pace of these early opportunities, even with the bigger questions around how quickly that edge can translate. [Read more 🡒]
Koehn Ziemmer Is Giving Kings Fans A Reason To Pay Attention
Koehn Ziemmer has quietly become one of the more interesting names in the Kings prospect pool as he heads into the 2026 Rookie Faceoff, a setting that tends to sort out who is ready to take a step and who still needs more runway. The forward talked through his first two games in the tournament, his growth since his first professional season and the way he used the summer to sharpen his game, all while trying to show he can handle the daily grind that comes with this level.
Ziemmer also touched on the group dynamic around the rookie camp and the challenge of playing several games in a short span, which can test both legs and focus. For a young player trying to make an impression, that matters almost as much as the box score, and it gives the Kings a closer look at how he carries himself when the schedule tightens and the competition starts to stack up. [Read more 🡒]