Game Day Thread
Game #42/82 - 1/7/26
>>7:30pm<<
on FanDuel
San Jose Sharks vs. Los Angeles Kings
Crypto.com Arena | Los Angeles, CA
**Game Time 7:30pm**
TV: FanDuel
Radio: ESPN LA app, Kings app, & Sirius
ESPNLA 710 AM
Check Out More Articles & Video on LA Kings Insider Here
Darcy Kuemper & Jim Hiller 1/5 Post-Game Quotes
Darcy Kuemper
On tonight’s win over Minnesota
I think we started playing a little bit more together. That’s what it takes to be successful in this league. The way our team is built, we need everyone going every night, playing for each other. We addressed it a few days ago and I think the last two games were great examples of us doing that.
On if he felt the team going down to 10 forwards galvanized the group to play together
Yeah, exactly, it’s guys picking up their games to help the guys that are out of the lineup and guys stepping into bigger roles and playing more minutes, cherishing that opportunity and going out and playing like they did tonight.
On what Andrei Kuzmenko brings on plays like his goal tonight
He’s got such quick hands and can cut back so fast like he did on that goal. It’s awesome to see him get going like that. He was a real difference maker tonight
On how he feels now, three games back off the injury
I’ve been just trying to grow my game each game. Tonight’s the game that I’ve definitely felt the most like myself. It’s been nice to get back in there and get my feet back under me. I just want to keep building
On the defensemen making his job easier tonight, helping to break up passing plays
The D were doing such a great job. They’re a big, dangerous team in front of the net and they were taking away second chances. They’re also pretty crafty with passes to the back post and the d-men did such a good job of breaking those up all night. That just allowed me to be confident and play the shooter.
Jim Hiller
On if tonight was the gutsiest win of the season for the Kings
I agree, certainly this season, without question. We played well the game before, played well for 56 minutes against Tampa, so starting to get a little traction, I think.
On getting a moment of magic from Kuzmenko to get the team over the line
I thought the second period we pushed, we had a lot of chances in and around their net. Third, we knew they were going to come, but we got on our heels with the with the penalty kill. You’re looking in those moments for somebody to make a big play. We’ve had opportunities at different times this year and we’ve been close but we haven’t been able to get that. Tonight, it was just an incredible goal by Kuzy, really the most important goal in the game in the end.
On Darcy Kuemper’s play and looking like himself again
Darce, when stuff is in front of him, as long as they don’t have to go lateral, 2-on-1’s and cross-ice passes, he’s as good as there is. He’s just so big and so square. I thought what he did well tonight too, you saw four or five scrambles, he was just able to hold his hold his ground at the net, not get pushed in. They’re jamming at him and I think that’s where the size and the strength really comes into play for him. Those were important, important moments in those scrambles.
On getting more tonight from Samuel Helenius and that line, down Kopitar and Armia
He played a season’s high tonight, but I think you’ve seen it, I think they matched up really well against Sturm’s line. Sturm’s line is a big, strong line, they’re hard to handle, I thought they had a pretty effective game tonight, so I really like the matchup of Malott, Perry and Sammy against that line. Minnesota plays them pretty consistently, so we were able to play our guys pretty consistently. I think you’re seeing Sammy gain some confidence, getting more ice time and there’s no doubt. I had him out there, buck and a half late, I had him out there late. It’s a two way street for him,
On getting a big goal from Warren Foegele that got him going a bit
He made the one that got disallowed, he drove [the net] and that looked more like Foegs to me, where he used to speed through the neutral zone, he attacked the net, quick play at the net, shot. We haven’t seen that a lot out of him this year, as far as speed through the rush attack, through the neutral zone. For me, I really enjoyed that moment for him, that felt like Foegs, so hopefully it’s a springboard for him.
Lineups Courtesy of DailyFaceoff.com
==========================
SHARKS PROBABLE LINEUP
Former Cup Winning King
Tyler Toffoli
==========================
GOALTENDING COMPARISON
PACIFIC DIVISION STANDINGS
**Bet your Karma & Win Fake Money in the VBookie Thread Here**
**POLL QUESTION GAME**
Part 1 - Which player will score the FIRST GOAL of the game?
Part 2 - Which player will score the LAST goal of the game (not necessarily the GWG)?
(if it's a shootout, it will be the person who scores the GWG)
You can take 8 guesses per part, maximum of 6 players per team (per part)
so, 4&4, 5&3 or 6&2 for each part
PREVIOUS GAME'S WINNERS
Congratulations to the following posters who correctly guessed 9 combined goals (5+4 last 2 games)
and/or came within 2 minutes of 9:20 of the third period for the GWG
and CONGRATS to DRice - New King of the Mountain!
9 goals (1 point):
CIrvine
jammer06
8:50-9:50 (3 points):
Rogie-Vachon
Rusty
DRice
randdog
8:20-10:20 (2 points):
Guinevere
TooCool
RoS
7:20-11:20 (1 point):
Cross Traffic
Forum Gold
pray4mojo
empire
Clif
VegasHockey
motolare
POLL GAME WIN TOTALS
King of the Mountain - 43 points
DRice
42 points
KernCoKingFan
38 points
Nyssa42
37 points
VegasHockey
36 points
Clif
35 points
Chateau Bow Wow
Drum4Pigs
VCRW
34 points
Guinevere
mugs
33 points
Birdman
Cross Traffic
Rusty
32 points
RoS
31 points
motolare
notbob
pray4mojo
30 points
empire
HiFi
jammer06
randdog
Rogie-Vachon
29 points
Angel Eyes
SirJW
28 points
Forum Gold
hornman
27 points
DRGinLBC
Liz4LA
McSorleyFan
26 points
dannybuoy1
25 points
Hockey53
24 points
beady eye
symbology
23 points
sonnyboy11
22 points
TooCool
21 points
CIrvine
Dr. Tran
20 pts
Rog or Reg?
14 points
Shackleford
12 points
Ecktore
9 points
JC6388LAKings
8 points
ICE24
6 points
kingsmen93
5 points
Rinkrat
3 points
JETS GARAGE
2 points
Sevenhole
GO KINGS GO!!!
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