The Vegas Golden Knights open their 2025-26 campaign on Wednesday night under the bright lights of T-Mobile Arena, hosting a familiar Pacific Division rival — the Los Angeles Kings. 

And this year, the buzz in Vegas is louder than ever. After landing superstar Mitch Marner, the Golden Knights aren’t just aiming for another playoff berth — they’re gunning for a second Stanley Cup banner.

Of course, before dreams of another parade down the Strip can take shape, there’s the small matter of surviving the marathon that is the 82-game regular season. The Golden Knights enter it as the team to beat, having topped the Pacific Division last year with a five-point cushion over, you guessed it, the Kings.

While Vegas doubled down on its identity by adding Marner and keeping its core intact, Los Angeles took a hit in free agency, losing a top piece that leaves a noticeable dent in their lineup. The Kings have shown steady progress over the past few seasons, but their Achilles’ heel remains the same, four straight first-round exits at the hands of the Oilers.

Here, GOAL brings you everything you need to know about how to watch Vegas Golden Knights vs Los Angeles Kings NHL game, plus plenty more.

Vegas Golden Knights vs Los Angeles Kings: Date and puck-drop time

Vegas Golden Knights will take on Los Angeles Kings in a highly anticipated NHL game on Wednesday, October 8, at 10:00 pm ET or 7:00 pm PT, at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles, CA.

DateWednesday, October 8, 2025Puck-Drop Time10:00 pm ET or 7:00 pm PTVenueCrypto.com ArenaLocationLos Angeles, CAHow to watch Vegas Golden Knights vs Los Angeles Kings on TV & stream live online

TV channel: TNT

Streaming service: DirecTV Stream

Streaming the game with a VPN

Unable to watch this game due to broadcast restrictions? A VPN could be the answer to your problems.

You can watch the game from wherever you are in the world by using a VPN (Virtual Private Network) service such as Express VPN. A VPN will allow you to create a secure connection online when you are abroad on holiday or for work, and you want to stream the game live. You can eventry ExpressVPN risk-freewith a 30-day money-back guarantee.

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Vegas Golden Knights vs Los Angeles Kings team newsVegas Golden Knights team news

The Golden Knights took a flyer on Carl Lindbom in the seventh round of the 2021 NHL Draft, and that gamble is aging beautifully. The young Swedish netminder has blossomed into one of the crown jewels of Vegas’ prospect pool. Last season, he turned in a .912 save percentage across 36 appearances for the Henderson Silver Knights, a rock-solid showing considering he was playing behind one of the AHL’s weakest rosters.

Heading into October, Lindbom sits third on the Golden Knights’ depth chart. In other words, if either Adin Hill or Akira Schmid spends time in the trainer’s room, Lindbom is next in line for a call-up, and potentially his first NHL crease. Goalie tandems rarely stay fully healthy over an 82-game grind, so it might just be a matter of when, not if, the 22-year-old gets his shot.

Even if injuries don’t open the door, Lindbom might just kick it down himself. His consistency and poise have turned heads over the past few seasons, and despite a couple of soft goals in preseason play, he continues to show the instincts and confidence of a netminder on the rise. He’s still learning, but the raw tools are undeniable.

Meanwhile, Mitch Marner arrives in Vegas as the ultimate high-IQ forward, but don’t mistake him for a pure sniper. The gifted winger has only eclipsed the 30-goal mark twice in his NHL career and hasn’t topped 35. In fact, the last time he bagged more than 40 came back when he was a teenager lighting up junior hockey. Playmaking has always been his bread and butter, and that won’t change anytime soon.

But this time, Marner won’t have to shoulder that creative load alone. Slated to start alongside Jack Eichel, he’ll share the ice with another elite distributor capable of carving open defenses. Elsewhere, Reilly Smith will reunite with Mark Stone and William Karlsson, rekindling a line that looked electric throughout the preseason.

Los Angeles Kings team news

The Kings’ core remains anchored by franchise icons Anze Kopitar and Drew Doughty, who return for their 20th and 18th NHL seasons. Few duos have defined an era in Los Angeles quite like them, and their presence continues to set the tone for a team still built around championship standards.

The returning cast is no less impressive. The Kings are coming off a franchise record-tying campaign with 48 wins and 105 points, and much of that success was driven by familiar faces. Adrian Kempe, the team’s leading scorer last season, is entering his 10th NHL campaign after once again eclipsing the 70-point plateau. His 35 goals and 73 points (35-38–73) over 81 games underscored his evolution into a reliable, all-situations threat.

Warren Foegele also enjoyed a breakout year, setting personal bests across the board, 24 goals, 46 points (24-22–46), and an eye-popping plus-36 rating. His seven game-winners made him one of the most clutch performers on the roster, earning him the Mark Bavis Memorial Award for Best Newcomer. Now entering his second season in Los Angeles, Foegele looks every bit the part of a hard-nosed, two-way winger the Kings can lean on.

Meanwhile, Quinton Byfield is being tipped for a true breakout season. The young center’s size and skill have never been in question, it’s just been about putting it all together. Don’t be surprised if this is the year he does exactly that. He’ll have plenty of help, too, with Andrei Kuzmenko joining the top line and power play. The former Canuck, who once torched nets with a 39-goal season in Vancouver, is a motivated man skating for his next contract — a dangerous combination for opposing defenses.

Los Angeles also retooled with a handful of seasoned veterans who know their way around the postseason grind. Joel Armia, Brian Dumoulin, Cody Ceci, and Anton Forsberg bring nearly 500 games of playoff experience between them.

Vegas Golden Knights vs Los Angeles Kings Head-to-Head RecordDateResults09/24/25Golden Knights 1-3 Kings03/10/25Golden Knights 5-6 Kings02/25/25Kings 5-2 Golden Knights10/31/24Kings 6-3 Golden Knights10/23/24Golden Knights 6-1 Kings