One more to go.
Not only is there just one more game before the Olympic break. Tonight, also marks the end of an era in LA hockey. Beginning with their next contest, the Kings will officially add an elite scorer to their lineup. And not a moment too soon.
Just hours after LA GM Ken Holland swung a deal yesterday afternoon to add forward Artemi Panarin, the Kings followed it up with yet another disappointing loss on home ice. Same story as so many other nights this season, as the group didn’t score enough to earn two points. Postgame, coach Jim Hiller was none too pleased with their overall performance:
Fortunately, Hiller & Co. will get a chance to get right back at it tonight in Vegas against the first-place Golden Knights. Not only will it be an opportunity to show the division that they can hang with the best, but it’s also a chance to go out on a high note before a long, extended break.
Lineup-wise, there aren’t any changes predicted besides goaltender Anton Forsberg getting his turn in net. He’s played lights out hockey over the last month or so. He’s been so good that it seems Hiller has been giving him the “tougher opponent” on back-to-backs over Darcy Kuemper. If the 33-year-old netminder is on his game tonight, that should give the Kings a great chance to pick up an important pair of points in Vegas.
Statistically Speaking
— Quinton Byfield and Kevin Fiala each have eight points over their last five games against the Golden Knights. Adrian Kempe has a pair of goals and seven points in that same span.
— Anze Kopitar is set to skate in his 20th, and final, career regular-season game at T-Mobile Arena. Kopitar’s 19 games, eight goals and 20 points in “Sin City” are the most among any player in NHL history. Overall, Kopitar’s 16 goals, 26 assists and 42 points against the Golden Knights pace all League skaters.
— With his pair of goals last night against Seattle, Andrei Kuzmenko is the fifth different player in LA Kings history to record a multi-goal game on their birthday. He joins Wayne Gretzky (3 on Jan. 26, 1991), Butch Goring (3 on Oct. 22, 1949), Luc Robitaille (2 on Feb. 17, 1992) and Dave Taylor (2 on Dec. 4, 1979).
— Following Thursday’s game, the Kings will enter the NHL’s 2026 Winter Olympics Break (Feb. 6 – 24). LA will have five players representing their respective countries: Joel Armia (Finland), Adrian Kempe (Sweden), Kevin Fiala (Switzerland), Drew Doughty (Canada), and Darcy Kuemper (Canada). Additionally, goaltending coach Michael Buckley (United States) and head equipment manager Darren Granger (Canada) will also be heading to Milan to represent their respective countries.
— For one of the many reasons Dave Taylor should be in the Hockey Hall of Fame, be sure to see the note down below in the On This Day in Kings History section.
Kings Projected Lineup vs. Golden Knights
If there are any key changes during pregame warmups, this article will be updated.
Moore – Kopitar – Armia
Perry – Laferriere – Kempe
Fiala – Byfield – Kuzmenko
Malott – Helenius – Ward
Dumoulin- Doughty
Edmundson – Clarke
Moverare – Ceci
Kuemper (starter)
Forsberg
Likely scratches: (F) Foegele and (D) Anderson, Hicketts
Injured Reserve: Turcotte
How to Watch the Game
Puck drop is set for 7:00 pm Pacific Time and will be televised by FanDuel Sports. Additionally, a Kings radio feed is available on the ESPN LA app.
With the television landscape changing at a rapid pace, we have all the latest news regarding some current FanDuel issues here — including how some teams cancelling contracts impacts LA’s plans for the balance of their 2025-26 season.
Across the Ice
Vegas is coming off a 5-2 victory over Vancouver on Wednesday. Here’s how they lined up in that matchup:
Barbashev – Eichel – Holtz
Dorofeyev – Marner – Stone
Smith – Hertl – Kolesar
Reinhardt – Uchacz – Bowman
Lauzon – Theodore
Hanifin – Andersson
Hutton – Korczak
Schmid
On This Day in Kings History
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