Game thread – Kings @ Vegas Golden Knights, September 25th

Los Angeles Kings 3, Vegas Golden Knights 2
3:16 left, third period
Match preview
VIDEO: NHL Network
AUDIO: ESPN LA 710, ESPN LA App, LA Kings App
SOG: LAK – 27 VGK – 20
PP: LAK – 1/3 VGK – 0/3

Third period
20:00 – The Kings are back on the march in the third period and have 1:38 minutes left to make up for Turcotte’s small mistake. 3-1 LAK/
7:59 p.m. – Carter George is in goal for the Kings at the start of the third period. George is making his second appearance of the season after playing the third period and overtime in Utah on Monday. Darcy Kuemper finishes his season debut with 11 saves on 12 shots. Relatively normal for Kuemper tonight.
18:32 – Holtz comes into the box for Vegas and evens the game at 4 against 4 before LAK plays with a power play for the third time tonight.
17:35 – Kings called out that there were too many players on the ice.
15:35 – After three partial PP chances, everything is even. Not much attack in either direction, but a great 1v1 defense play by Jordan Spence prevents a chance.
14:54 – VGK Goal – The Golden Knights get a point back early in the third period. The Kings commit a turnover through the middle of the ice and Tanner Luczynski scores his first goal and second point of the game.
13:47 – Jeannot now goes to the penalty box and the Golden Knights get their third power play chance of the game, now trailing by just one goal.
11:47 – A textbook kill for the Kings. Had more time in the offensive zone than Vegas. Byfield made two separate substitutions in the two minutes. Andre Lee also did a good job of creating disruption and taking extra time off the clock.
8:50 – It's preseason, mistakes happen, but the Kings were a little too fast and lost the middle of their own zone at times. That's an area that needs to be cleaned up, and I'll ask Jim Hiller about it after the game.
4:04 – Carter George withstands the most pressure the Kings have faced so far in the game. The shots are a little closer now at 26-20 and the final media timeout is in sight.
3:16 – This is what Tanner Jeannot's hockey looks like. Straight to the net, a few little shots on a mostly covered puck. Starts a scrum up front. Pretty much what you'd expect from him.

Second period
8:00pm – Back to the middle verse. Kings are up 2-0 as we get going again.
17:24 – VGK goal – Noah Hanifin puts the hosts on the scoreboard. The Kings are in trouble with four players under the puck in the attacking zone and Vegas converts in transition. The puck movement from the rush is effective and frees Hanifin, who was the free man. 2:1.
14:47 – Byfield is a monster. Just the little plays he makes in tight situations. The combination of size and speed is obvious, but he also has the right touch. In my opinion, the ceiling is so high.
11:50 – LAK goal – Opponent GOAL! Great play by Kevin Fiala through the slot to create space and Foegele finishes it off from the top of the crease. Lots of encouraging transitions from those three guys tonight, with Byfield in the middle. 3-1 Kings.
9:32 – It's early, but the Fiala/Byfield/Foegele line seems to be playing as it should so far. That's really encouraging. The potential of this line on offense is sky high and all three work hard enough to get involved on defense. Again, it's 30 minutes of preseason. But so far, everything's going well.
8:35 – I didn't really see Darcy Kuemper tested for 30 minutes tonight, but his first quality chance that wasn't Hanifin's goal is easy to judge. Goes well from left to right to stop Alexander Holtz at the back post.
5:30 – Excellent defensive play by Mikey Anderson. As a 2-on-1 defender, Anderson defended the cross pass, told Trevor Moore to pick up the puck carrier and stopped the play without taking any damage. Good work from 44.
5:13 – Minor fouls for Burroughs and Brisson after a scuffle in the corner. Little 4-on-4 action towards the end of the second half.
2:45 – Jared Woolley was playing Junior B hockey in Canada less than 12 months ago. Tonight he's playing 4-on-4 against NHL forwards. And some nifty moves with the puck, too. Good for him. 18 years old. Long development period, long road, but there's a lot to work on.
0:23 – First penalty of the night for the Kings late in the second period. Turcotte for cross-checking. We'll see some of the matchups we saw in practice over the weekend in the game for the first time.
0:04 – Kuemper saves the penalty, but the rebound lands in the slot, where it is shot out of play by the post.
0:00 – 3-1 Kings after 40 minutes. LAK has 1:38 minutes left until the penalty spot at the start of the third half.

First period
8:00 p.m. – Kings and Golden Knights are in Vegas!
15:41 – Jordan Spence showed good instincts early on. Ultimately, it was a small play that resulted in a shot on goal and not a goal. But in a situation where he could have put the puck down, he showed poise and passed to Warren Foegele, who passed it to Gavrikov, who was charging through the slot. More pucks to the middle is a focus. I liked this early sequence.
13:32 – A bit of chaos on the forecheck from Phillip Danault. Did a good job of holding the puck up to find the trailing Trevor Moore, but a long pokecheck broke up the play. Almost caused another turnover seconds later by staying on the hunt. Perhaps something we'll see more of this season in the 1-2-2.
10:00 – Halftime is over and honestly I'm having a hard time focusing on what's happening. Drew Doughty had an unfortunate collision with former Kings forward Tanner Pearson along the boards and was escorted off the ice by Mikey Anderson and a member of the team's coaching staff. Straight down the tunnel.
7:19 – The Kings get the first power play of the game. Holtz is on the home team. Spence – Byfield – Gawdin – Moore – Danault are the Kings' starting lineup.
5:29 – LAK goal – Laferreire opens the scoring. Great work from Turcotte up front, winning a battle at the top of the goal area and serving Laferriere at the back post for the tap-in goal. Good move by Fiala to get the ball there. 1:0 Kings
5:01 – Two goals in 28 seconds! This time it's Jeannot who beats Samsonov with a wrist shot from the right side of the court. I saw that a few times in the Nashville highlights. 2-0 to the Kings.
2:35 – The Kings return to the power play, Brisson now sits for Vegas.
0:00 – 2:0 for the Kings after 20 minutes. Shots on goal were 15:2. All good in that regard. The concern, of course, is Drew Doughty, who will not return tonight due to a lower body injury.

Today’s Kings lineup –

Tonight @LAKings Line storms –

Moore – Danault – Jeannot
Fiala – Byfield – Fögele
Lee – Turcotte – Laferriere
Jamsen – Gawdin – Madden

Anderson-Doughty
Gavrikov – Spence
Woolley – Burroughs

Kümper
George

— Zach Dooley (@DooleyLAK) 26 September 2024