The victory follows a 4-1 defeat to the Colorado Avalanche in the Kings’ season debut
Start fast, finish strong.
It is a common saying when it comes to sports, illustrating the need to not start flat and to maintain the same speed, dominance, and rhythm to the final whistle or buzzer.
While the statement is typically applied to a singular game, it equally fits for an entire season.
And the Los Angeles Kings wasted no time in rectifying its 4-1 defeat to the Colorado Avalanche, winning its second affair – and first away stand – of the 2025-2026 season in shootout fashion over the Las Vegas Golden Knights. 10 combined goals were scored in the first three periods of the contest, with Knights right winger Pavel Dorofeyev topping the scoresheet with a hat-trick.
While Dorofeyev and center Jack Eichel – who garnered one goal and three assists in the team’s season debut – dominated the Knights’ statsheet, the Kings distributed the scoring across the depth chart, registering five different goal scorers and eight different players logging an assist.
Despite allowing five goals through regulation, Kings goalkeeper Anton Forsberg rose to the occasion in overtime and the shootout periods. Forsberg saved three shots in overtime alongside two penalty shot saves, including the game-winning save against right winger Mitch Marner.
However, it does not take a deep look into the statsheet to see that the Kings were dominated in almost all aspects of the affair.
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Although both squads managed equitable numbers in the hits category, the Knights dominated everywhere else, logging more shots, less giveaways, and less penalties. The biggest surprise came from the drop of the puck, where the Kings won just 37.9% of all faceoffs.
The increased faceoff win percentage not only gave the Knights a higher percentage of possession but also mitigated momentum for the Kings and limited the ability to capitalize on situational hockey.
But while the Kings lacked faceoff wins and a larger share of shot attempts, the Golden Knights failed to take advantage of golden opportunities. The Las Vegas squad managed just two power-play goals on six opportunities while also conceding a short-handed goal to the Kings.
The Kings’ victory marked a triumphant step forward after flatlining to the Avalanche just a day earlier in the Los Angeles squad’s home opener. Kings head coach Jim Hiller acknowledged that the unit made a few mistakes throughout the affair but noted the fortitude of the defense.
“When we looked at it again, we made a few mistakes, there’s no question. But, defensively, we were solid, actually rock solid really,” Hiller said. “Since I have been in the league that’s the least we have given up to Colorado in games that I have been a part of. What we didn’t do was create anything.”
While the Kings’ defense has given up nine goals through just two contests of the new season, the offense showed marked improvement from its single goal performance in the season debut. The Kings shot 11 less shots than the Knights, but showed significantly more accuracy and execution, converting five goals and two out of three penalty shots.
Before the game against the Knights, Hiller acknowledged that the Knights’ physicality and bigger-bodied offensive player may pose a challenge for the defenders and defensive forwards.
“Vegas is a little bigger, a little stronger. Colorado is probably a little quicker up front,” Hiller said. “They’re bigger and stronger so they will be around our net more. Colorado did a nice job in killing plays early and not letting us out of the corners in the o-zone. I think Vegas brings the puck to the net front, big forwards, and so our two defenseman and our low forward really are going to be challenged boxing out.”
The biggest adjustment the Kings made after its 4-1 debut loss, was a change at goalkeeper, giving Forsberg the nod over Darcy Kuemper, who conceded four goals on 23 shot attempts Tuesday night.
The Kings’ next challenge will come against the Winnipeg Jets on Saturday at the Crypto.com Arena.