Feb 06, 2026
3 min read
WHO: Los Angeles Kings (18-24-13) @ Vegas Golden Knights (16-26-14)
MI: 2025 regular season match 56/82
WHEN: Thursday, February 5 @ 7:00 PM Pacific
Wo: T-Mobile Arena – Las Vegas, New York
HOW TO WATCH: Video: FanDuel Sports Network - Audio - ESPN LA App & LA Kings App - TWITTER: @dooleylak & @lakings
Today's Match: We're down to the final game before closing time, another divisional matchup, as the Kings visit the Vegas Golden Knights to wrap up their pre-Olympic slate.
BATTLE OF THE EYE: Forwards Andriy Kuzmenko and Kevin Fiala each have three points against Vegas this season.Defenseman Brandt Clark has scored in both games against the Golden Knights this season, with both goals coming late in the third period that went into overtime.Clark is +4 in both games this season and has a career-high seven points (3-4-7) in six games against Vegas, his highest against any opponent.
KINGS VITALS: Given the rebounding situation, the Kings didn't hold the skate earlier today.
Look for goalkeeper Anton Forsberg to start tonight in the last game before the break.Forsberg earned his first win as a member of the Kings organization in the building in October, when he made 30 saves in a 6-5 shootout, tying his career record at 2-2-0 against the Golden Knights.
For reference, here's how the Kings lined up last night at home against Seattle:
Tonight's spills on the @lakings line -
Moore - Hoof - Armia
Perry – Laferriere – Kempe
Fiala – Byfield – Kuzmenko
Hammer – Helenius – WardDumoulin – Doughty
Edmundson - Clarke
Movement - Ceci Kuemper
Forsberg — Jake Dooley (@Doolyluck) February 5, 2026
As noted yesterday, newly acquired forward Artemi Panarin will not play tonight and will join the team coming out of the break.More on that HERE from Kings General Manager Ken Holland.
Personally, I don't expect any changes in the lineup today, but it wouldn't be surprising to see forward Warren Vogel back in the lineup tonight after his lackluster performance against the Kings yesterday. Defenseman Joe Hicketts is also on the trip and is an option to play. Below are some thoughts on this.
GOLDEN KNIGHTS VITALS: Vegas snapped a five-game losing streak yesterday with a 5-2 home win over the Vancouver Canucks.
Here's how the Golden Knights lined up against Vancouver yesterday, per Vegas Hockey's Hannah Kirkel –
— Hannah Kirkle (@h_kirk6) February 5, 2026
Vegas is missing guard Brayden McNabb, as well as forwards William Karlsson, Brandon Saad and Brett Howden due to injuries.Forward Pavel Dorofeyev was the star player for Vegas the last time these teams met at T-Mobile Arena, scoring his third career NHL hat trick in the Kings' 6-5 victory.Dorofeyev has scored six goals in six games against the Kings over the past two seasons, leading all players in the league over that span.
Story of the Day – Not yet… But I can feel the impact.
Tonight is not for Artemi Panarin, as it will be tonight in Vegas.Imagine if he came to Las Vegas, didn't play for 10 days, and managed the Kings to a win?It would be electronic.But I understand.
That doesn't mean the Kings aren't excited about the move, even if they have to wait a little longer to get him.
Take Andrei Kuzmenko, for example.
Both players are from SKA St., both lost to each other in international tournaments, so I don't believe they played together.However, Kuzmenko understands the player that his team has already acquired.He understands the level of player that Panarini is as much as anyone and is very excited to add him to the mix, both as a player and as a person.
"He's a superstar in this league, he's a very good player and a very good person," Kuzmenko said."I liked it, when I saw the news, I was happy, because this is a very good guy and he helps us a lot, on the power play and in the offensive zone. We are doing very well."
Everyone understands where the kings are now - looking from the outside.
No matter what happens tonight, the Kings won't make the playoff break.Even with a win, they are within one point after missing a big chance against Seattle yesterday.Theme of the season, in many ways.After tonight, there will be 20 days between games before the Olympic break, but once the Kings return, it's a sprint to the finish line, with fewer than 30 games remaining.
Maybe Panarin can be the adrenaline rush the Kings have needed to get that win.
"I think the way you look at it, you bring in one of the best players in the league, it boosts your morale, it boosts your confidence," defenseman Brandt Clark said.
Of course, between the BP and AA eras, the Kings play one more game tonight at Nevada
Despite everything that has gone wrong this season, the Kings are just a few steps away from the top of the division, six points behind Vegas going into tonight's game.A chance to lower that number tonight.
"It's big for us, it's no secret that he's a good player and we need a good player right now," added Kuzmenko."Hopefully, after this trade, after Artemi plays with us, we will be a little better. For us, every game is important. Before the break, we have one game against Vegas, which is important for us. We need a good win against Vegas."
3 worth noting -
- Starting tonight is very important.
Clarke called yesterday's start "unacceptable" and it was.I thought the Kings lost the game in the first period.Despite a sloppy early puck drop and an early power-play goal, they didn't look like they had much of a start.
I thought Kuzmence's second power play goal moved things around a bit. From that point on, the Kings seemed to adjust, but struggled to score three teams in the first quarter. Especially when your team isn't really outscoring teams. The lowest scoring team entering the first quarter last night was Seattle. After three goals? The Kings have scored 34 first quarter goals this season. They also have the second most goals.scored with 38, but when you see this team, you know it's a good start, even at 0-0. That wasn't the case last night. Gotta improve tonight.
Jim Hiller was asked after the game if he accepted the idea of the first game coming back from a long and difficult road trip.He didn't accept the apology and neither did the players in the room.Honestly, excuses or excuses don't mean much when you're where the kings are.scored two points.
- One of the positive aspects of yesterday's match was the power play.
The Kings have had almost nothing at 5-on-5 for the better part of two seasons, but the power hasn't hurt.Sometimes when you don't connect 5-on-5, the power play can seem a bit chaotic.Yesterday was definitely not the case.I thought the team moved the puck really well and scored twice, both of which were buried by Kuzmenko.he does not have more than three items.Since returning with the top unit, he was one of the straws that tipped the drink and his confidence seemed to grow as the night went on.
The Kings missed their third and fourth chances, so they could have used one more, but the three power plays were a little Mariah.The Kings needed it at the same time, but didn't get it.Kemp almost scored a third when he put the ball into the net, but Corriere denied it right away with a free kick under the glove of Seattle goalkeeper Joey Daccord.
Special teams are even more important in tonight's game.Vegas is one of only two teams in the NHL to rank in the top 10 in both PP and PK percentage.Los Angeles is one of three teams in the bottom 10 in both metrics, and they also allowed two power-play goals last night.If starting is the priority, special teams will likely work.
- Finally, while I don't expect any changes in the lineup, I wouldn't be surprised if striker Warren Voegele is back in the lineup.
The Kings simply didn't play very well last night and the fourth line was on the negative side of the ledger for the first time since they joined.Not that this direction means anyone should go and I don't know if I would make a change or not, but it's something to keep in mind.
Foegele was impressive in his first game back healthy last month in Detroit, but now has two sacks since Anze Kopitar returned from injury.He probably deserves to come back and answer again, but if he's not the fourth player, I'm not sure where he is.Foegelea. So if you want my best guess, I will say no changes today, but a few when these teams meet on February 25.
We'll hear from Jim Heller about 75 minutes before puck drop, and then we'll have more confirmation.
One more game until time runs out, Insiders!Big division test in Vegas against the current division leaders.
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