Are you ready for some NHL action? The Kings are hitting the ice tonight at Crypto.com Arena after a three-week hiatus, and they're bringing a fresh look to their game.
Tonight kicks off a rare back-to-back home stand, starting with the Golden Knights and followed by the Oilers tomorrow. With 26 games left in the regular season, the Kings are just three points shy of a playoff spot, trailing Edmonton by four points and Vegas by eight. They do, however, have games in hand, which could play to their advantage as the season progresses.
This upcoming six-game stretch is crucial, filled with divisional matchups and leading right into the NHL Trade Deadline next week. The big question is: how will GM Ken Holland bolster the roster?
Financially, the Kings have room to maneuver, especially after acquiring Artemi Panarin and with the potential LTIR flexibility following Kevin Fiala's season-ending injury. Fiala's absence is a tough blow for a team already struggling offensively.
Panarin's arrival could be a game-changer, possibly the most impactful offensive addition since Ziggy Palffy. Making his Kings debut tonight, Panarin brings a point-per-game prowess that could be just what the team needs. But with Fiala out, will the gains balance out the losses?
Excitement is in the air as the Kings welcome this new talent. Panarin is set to line up with Alex Laferriere at center and Adrian Kempe on the wing, and he might also see action on both power play units.
The rest of the lineup is shaping up, with Joel Armia expected at LW4 and Warren Foegele at LW3.
On the flip side, Vegas will be missing key players like Jack Eichel and Noah Hanifin, fresh from their Gold Medal win with Team USA. Mitch Marner, Mark Stone, and Shea Theodore are also questionable. The Kings need to capitalize on this depleted Vegas roster.
Statistically Speaking:
- Kempe has been hot, notching five goals and 10 points in his last nine games.
- The Kings wrap up their ninth regular season series with Vegas tonight.
Since Vegas joined the league, the Kings hold a 19-16-3 record against them and won last season’s Pacific Division series 3-1-0.
- Anze Kopitar recently hit a milestone with his 1,300th career NHL point, becoming the eighth non-North American player to do so and the 39th overall in league history.
- Drew Doughty is on the verge of tying Duncan Keith for the 29th-most games played by a defenseman in NHL history.
- Brandt Clarke scored a clutch game-tying goal in the Kings’ last home game against Vegas, marking the latest such goal by a Kings defenseman since 2023.
Kings Projected Lineup vs. Golden Knights:
- Panarin - Laferriere - Kempe
- Byfield - Kopitar - Moore
- Foegele - Turcotte - Kuzmenko
- Armia - Helenius - Perry
- Dumoulin - Doughty
- Edmundson - Clarke
- Anderson - Ceci
- Forsberg (starter)
- Kuemper
Scratches likely include Malott, Ward, and Moverare.
How to Watch:
Puck drop is at 7:00 pm Pacific Time, airing nationally on TNT, with a radio feed available on the ESPN LA app.
Across the Ice:
Vegas, coming off their Olympic break, will be without Eichel and Hanifin. Their lineup might look like this:
- Barbashev - Hertl - Kolesar
- Smith - Laczynski - Dorofeyev
- Saad - Sissons - Holtz
- Reinhardt - Uchacz - Bowman
- Lauzon - Andersson
- McNabb - Coghlan
- Hutton - Korczak
- Hill
On This Day in Kings History:
Back on February 25, 2012, Kings captain Dustin Brown silenced trade rumors with a hat trick against the Blackhawks, leading to a 4-0 victory. A memorable moment for #GoKingsGo fans.