Darcy Kuemper finally looked like himself again. Unfortunately for the Los Angeles Kings, it still wasn’t enough.
The former Colorado Avalanche goaltender and 2022 Stanley Cup champion stopped 26 of 28 shots Tuesday against the Florida Panthers, but the Kings lost 2-1. After giving up eight goals to Colorado in the season opener and then watching Anton Forsberg get the start against San Jose, Kuemper was back in net and gave Los Angeles a much-needed performance.
Kuemper was solid from the start and made several big saves as the game went on. It was a much different showing from the season opener, and for a night, he looked more like the goaltender who was a Vezina Trophy finalist in 2024-25.
Cale Makar following a 6-1 win over the St. Louis Blues at Ball Arena.
The Kings gave him an early lead to work with.
Alex Laferriere made it 1-0 late in the first period, putting home a rebound after Erik Haula created the chance from behind the net. Los Angeles had a chance to add another goal in the second when Florida took two penalties, including 66 seconds of five-on-three, but the Kings couldn't score.
That ended up hurting them.
Just six seconds after the final penalty expired, Seth Jones tied the game for Florida. From there, the Kings had trouble generating much offensively. They finished 0-for-5 on the power play, while their penalty kill went 6-for-6.
Florida eventually took the lead in the third period. A turnover in the neutral zone sent the Panthers the other way, and Matthew Tkachuk beat Kuemper with 8:40 remaining. Los Angeles pushed for the equalizer and pulled Kuemper late, but Florida held on.
Kuemper played well enough to win. He just didn't get enough help in front of him.
Through two starts, Kuemper is 0-2 with a 5.11 goals-against average and a .825 save percentage. Those are rough numbers, especially for a goaltender who is trying to get his starting job back.
Kuemper has been here before, though. He was in net for Colorado when the Avalanche won the Stanley Cup in 2022, and he followed that up with a Vezina Trophy finalist finish in 2024-25. The Kings signed him expecting that version of Kuemper.
So far, they haven't gotten it consistently.
His situation became even more interesting last season when he lost the starting job to Forsberg down the stretch. Forsberg went on to start every game of the Kings' first-round playoff series, which ended with Los Angeles being swept by Kuemper's former team, the Avalanche.
Now Kuemper is trying to get his crease back.
Tuesday was at least a step in the right direction. He stopped 26 of 28 shots and kept Los Angeles within a goal until the final minutes. The Kings couldn't find enough offense to get him the win, but this was the kind of performance Kuemper needed.
The Utah Mammoth are having a strong start to the season, as evidenced by their 3-1-0 record so far.
Former Chicago Blackhawks forward Nick Schmaltz is a big reason behind Utah's good start the campaign, as he has been excellent for them.
In four games so far this season with the Mammoth, Schmaltz has recorded five goals and seven points. His five goals are currently at the top of the entire NHL, so there is no question that the former Blackhawks forward is impressing right now.
Schmaltz has scored at least one goal in each of his first four games of the season. He is also not showing any signs of slowing down, as he had one goal and three points in Utah's most recent game against the New Jersey Devils.
Schmaltz was selected by the Blackhawks in the first round of the 2014 NHL Entry Draft, 20th overall. In 162 games over three seasons with the Blackhawks from 2016-17 to 2018-19, he posted 29 goals, 62 assists, 91 points, and a plus-7 rating.
Luke Schenn has never ordered room service from a hotel when on an NHL road trip. Not a single time in his 1126-game NHL career.
As the Vancouver Canucks prepare to embark on one of their longest road trips throughout the 2026–27 season, Schenn is looking at keeping things that way.
The act of rallying teammates together for a dinner on the road is something known throughout the NHL as a custom for team-bonding. It serves as a good means of spending time in different cities after practices and team-obligations wrap for the day.
“That’s the best part about the NHL, is getting out there and getting to know your teammates,” Schenn told The Hockey News ahead of Vancouver’s trip out east.
The Canucks’ upcoming road trip will push the team through six different games in the span of a little less than two weeks. After facing the Carolina Hurricanes on October 8, Vancouver will head to New Jersey and New York to face the Devils, Rangers, and Islanders on the 10th, 11th, and 13th respectively, before heading down-south to Florida to play the Panthers on the 15th and the Tampa Bay Lightning on the 17th.
It’s the first long road trip for the Canucks during the early stages of the 2026–27 season, which means this trip will be when things like team-dinner organizers and airplane seatmates are sorted out.
Given his experience throughout the league, the role of the team’s rallying figure is usually something Schenn takes on.
“I would say 70 percent [of the time], probably. Decent amount,” he said. “When you’ve been around a long time, you kind of know the spots to go, and it’s easy to get a group together — throw it in the group text, and get some guys together and have some fun, have some laughs.”
Those 1126 games have seen Schenn take on roles with 10 different teams throughout the NHL — the Toronto Maple Leafs, Philadelphia Flyers, Los Angeles Kings, Arizona Coyotes, Anaheim Ducks, Tampa Bay Lightning, Nashville Predators, Winnipeg Jets, Buffalo Sabres, and, of course, the Canucks. Through these experiences, he’s seen how the road-trip team-bonding culture has changed.
“I think probably few guys that meet up for a beer a little more often, probably when you get into a city, that’s just kind of the old school environment of how the NHL used to be, I would say [...] now, obviously, with the speed of the game and the schedule, it’s a lot more recovery, I would say.”
Oct 1, 2026; Vancouver, British Columbia, CAN; Vancouver Canucks defenseman Luke Schenn (2) skates onto the ice prior to the start of a game against the Edmonton Oilers at Rogers Arena. Mandatory Credit: Bob Frid-Imagn Images
It’s still early in the season, which means Vancouver still hasn’t quite gotten the opportunity to do their fair share of team-bonding on the road other than their short one-game trip to open the season against the Edmonton Oilers. While they also went up to Penticton for 2026 training camp, due to the hectic schedule and large groups of players, there wasn’t much room for the players themselves to organize their dinners on their own.
“[It’s] just a little bit different now to have the group together.”
The road trip team-bonding experience is an essential part of the NHL experience, according to Schenn. Back at home, there are personal and familial elements to life that keep players busy off the ice. Things are different on the road.
“I always say, I don’t remember a lot of games, good or bad, guys have had, or a lot of plays along the way. But I remember getting to know the guys and stories along the way, and some of the best memories are just getting to know your teammates.”
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The Vegas Golden Knights are having a good start to the season. At the time of this writing, they have a 3-1-0 record and are at the top of the Pacific Division.
Former Buffalo Sabres forward Jack Eichel is a big reason for the Golden Knights' strong start to the campaign, as he is dominating right now.
In four games so far this season with the Golden Knights, Eichel has two goals, eight assists, and 10 points. His eight assists and 10 points are also at the top of the NHL, so the former Sabres forward is on fire right now.
Eichel is showing no signs of slowing down from his hot start to the season, either. In the Golden Knights' recent 6-2 win over the Seattle Kraken, the former Sabres forward recorded one goal and four points.
Seeing Eichel have such a good start to the season is not surprising, as he is one of the NHL's top stars. Just last season with the Golden Knights, the former Sabres forward had 27 goals and 90 points in 74 games.
Eichel was selected by the Buffalo Sabres in the first round of the 2015 NHL Entry Draft, second overall. In 375 games over six seasons with the Sabres, Eichel posted 139 goals and 355 points.
Brad Marchand (63) of the Florida Panthers is helped off the ice with an injury against the Los Angeles Kings during the second period at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles, Tuesday, Oct. 6, 2026.
LOS ANGELES — Florida Panthers forward Brad Marchand sustained a left leg injury in the second period of their 2-1 win against the Los Angeles Kings on Tuesday night.
Marchand was not on the bench for the third period, and coach Paul Maurice did not have an update on his condition afterward.
“We’ll get him looked at probably Thursday,” Maurice said.
Brad Marchand (63) of the Florida Panthers is helped off the ice with an injury against the Los Angeles Kings during the second period at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles, Tuesday, Oct. 6, 2026. Getty Images
Marchand was hurt after taking a stick to the face from Kings defenseman Brandt Clarke with 52.6 seconds remaining, which caused him to twist around and collide with the right post before his left leg bent back in an awkward way.
Marchand was down on the ice for several minutes being examined by an athletic trainer before teammates Brady Tkachuk and Niko Mikkola helped him to the bench, with Marchand unable to put any weight on his leg. He was then helped back to the dressing room.
Marchand was in his second game back after missing the entire preseason and the first two games of the regular season while recovering from sports hernia surgery.
Brad Marchand had to be helped off the ice with an apparent lower-body injury after this play.
This was Marchand's second game back after recovering from offseason surgery for a previous lower-body injury. pic.twitter.com/VumYDxPK9U
Marchand, 38, is in his third season with the Panthers after playing his first 16 seasons with the Boston Bruins. He was traded to Florida in March 2025 and helped them win their second straight Stanley Cup that season.
He has been involved in a number of controversies throughout his career — throwing helmets, licking opponents, questionable hits — that have led to suspensions and fines.
Brad Marchand (63) of the Florida Panthers passes the puck against Brandt Clarke (92) and Joel Edmundson (6) of the Los Angeles Kings during the first period at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles, Tuesday, Oct. 6, 2026. Getty Images
But the defense of those titles last season was scuttled by injuries, and now the Panthers have seen two key players injured on their four-game West Coast trip to start this season.
Aleksander Barkov, one of the top two-way centers in hockey, hurt his left leg in an overtime loss at San Jose on Thursday. Maurice said earlier Tuesday that Barkov is expected to miss six to eight weeks and will not require surgery.
“I mean, we have a little experience with Sasha going down, so it wasn’t quite as shocking the second time it happened,” Maurice said. “We know we have good depth. And there’s a threshold for any team, a number of injuries you just can’t survive, and we passed that early last year. So, real good resolve here. The tank is deep right now. We had a big summer off, so we’re strong.”
Clarke received a four-minute double-minor penalty. It was the second penalty of the game for Clarke, who was called for interference against Eetu Luostarinen earlier in the period. Luostarinen was shaken up on a cross-check from Clarke, sustaining a stinger, but was able to return to the game.
Jared Bednar isn't too concerned about Zach L’Heureux's past.
He knows about it. So does everyone else around the Avalanche.
L’Heureux has racked up 12 suspensions since the start of his career, dating back to his days in the QMJHL. He's missed 42 games because of those bans. The latest came last January, when the NHL gave him three games for slew-footing Wild captain Jared Spurgeon.
Cale Makar after a resounding win over the St. Louis Blues.
It's a long list for a 23-year-old.
But Bednar isn't looking at L’Heureux and seeing only the suspensions.
“We're aware of his past just like you guys are,” Bednar told reporters Tuesday.
There's obviously some work to do. L’Heureux has already admitted as much. But Bednar sees a young player who is still learning how to play with the physical edge that makes him effective without letting that side of his game get him into trouble.
And he's been down this road before.
When the subject of L’Heureux's history came up, Bednar brought up Nazem Kadri.
Kadri was 28 when Toronto traded him to Colorado in 2019. He wasn't a young player trying to find his way in the NHL anymore. He had been around, had established himself and had already been suspended four times for on-ice incidents.
The reputation followed him to Colorado.
So did the occasional mistake.
During the 2021 Stanley Cup Playoffs, Kadri was suspended eight games for an illegal check to the head of St. Louis Blues defenseman Justin Faulk. It was his fifth suspension for an on-ice incident and his third in the playoffs.
And then, nothing.
Kadri hasn't been suspended since.
He didn't suddenly become a different player, either. He still played with an edge. He still brought the physicality and wasn't afraid to get under an opponent's skin. He just got better at knowing when that edge was helping him and when it was going too far.
“He still kind of plays on the edge at times,” Bednar said. “But he's still, he's disciplined guy. You know, he wants to win. He's matured into knowing when he has to play physical and play with grit, and, you know, when he can, like, kind of tone that down a little bit.”
That's a pretty good blueprint for what Colorado needs from L’Heureux.
The Avalanche didn't bring him in because they wanted him to tone down everything that makes him effective. They need some bite from him. They need somebody who is willing to make opponents uncomfortable and push back when games get nasty.
Colorado has had plenty of skill. But in the playoffs, it's run into teams like Dallas and Vegas that are more than willing to make a game difficult and turn it into a fight for every inch.
🗣️Zachary L'Heureux on if he's 'chomping at the bit' to play in his first game as an Av:
He just can't let that part of his game take over.
“We'll just watch him play,” Bednar said, “and we'll have discussions on when we think he needs to dial it back a little bit, or when he needs to ramp it up a little bit.”
That's probably the biggest thing L’Heureux has to figure out.
Not how to become less physical. Not how to stop playing with an edge. Just when to use it.
He's already said he needs to clean up that part of his game. At 23, there's still plenty of time for him to do that.
Kadri is the obvious example.
He was 28 when he arrived in Colorado and had already made plenty of mistakes in that regard. Even after joining the Avalanche, he had one more major suspension to serve before he finally got past it.
L’Heureux is getting the chance to learn that lesson much earlier.
Colorado doesn't need him to become somebody else. It needs him to figure out how to be the player he already is without constantly paying the price for it.
Bednar seems willing to give him the time to figure that out.
It was a historic night at Scotiabank Arena on Tuesday, as Toronto Maple Leafs rookie Gavin McKenna scored his first NHL point and goal against the Nashville Predators.
The crowd completely erupted when his name was called on the PA for both goals that he contributed to and, of course, when his goal itself was scored.
"Definitely feeling the love from the fans," McKenna said after Toronto's 5-4 overtime win against Nashville. "That one obviously feels good, and (I) love this fan base. So to hear that, it was pretty special."
The fans were happy, but McKenna's teammates and coaches were thrilled for the 18-year-old, in a moment he called "a big monkey off the back," even if this was only his fourth NHL game.
Maple Leafs captain Auston Matthews, who had the primary assist on McKenna's goal, was asked about the moment, and his face lit up.
"It was great," Matthews said. "I mean, he's been playing great, and it can be tough when you don't score for a little bit. But, I mean, you saw he made a nice play in the D zone there. Johnny goes down and scores. And, I think it just kind of gives you a little boost. He scores the goal and gives you another little boost. He's got all the confidence in the world in himself in the best way possible. But, obviously, when you find the back of the net, it obviously helps. And it was great to see him and get that moment, and enjoy that. It's very well deserved."
Auston Matthews on Gavin McKenna: “I think you’re going to see him go on a tear now with the weight lifted off his shoulders.”
Also, for someone who has made a living of catch-and-release finishes, Matthews was impressed with McKenna's shot, labelling it as "beautiful."
"That was awesome," William Nylander said of his goal. "I mean, I was so happy for him. That moment is just something you never forget. It was a bullet, top shelf, so I'd be very happy for that one."
Also impressed with the goal was Maple Leafs head coach Jim Hiller."That goal was a goal-scorer's goal," he said post-game. "We know he's a playmaker, I guess. That's kind of by trade, he's a playmaker. But that was a goal-scorer's goal. Got his feet around it on the strong side, and he had some zip on it."
What Hiller liked most about McKenna's first NHL goal was how important it was for the team, and how he came through in a big moment. The rookie's goal brought the Leafs within one goal of the Preds, making it 4-3 for Nashville.
"It was a big goal in the hockey game," Hiller said. "So that's the one you remember. It was really important. It wasn't the first goal of the game. It was an important moment, and he came up big in an important moment. So I like that."
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NEWARK, NEW JERSEY - OCTOBER 06: Jesper Bratt #63 of the New Jersey Devils controls the puck during the first period against the Utah Mammoth at Prudential Center on October 06, 2026 in Newark, New Jersey. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Here are your links for today:
Devils Links
Not exactly a roaring start to the season. The Mammoth went 2-for-4 on the power play and took a 5-3 game over the Devils on Tuesday. [Devils NHL]
Marty talks:
Martin Brodeur and his son Jeremy join me for a wide-ranging conversation about the Devils’ goalies, the evolution of the position, carrying the Brodeur name and passing a legendary legacy to the next generation.
“Rutt’s Hut’s debut at Prudential Center was a hit with New Jersey Devils fans. A team source told NJ Hockey Now that the iconic Clifton, New Jersey hot dog stand — located in Section 15 — sold more than 1,200 ‘Ripper’ dogs during the Devils’ home opener against the Philadelphia Flyers on Thursday night.” [New Jersey Hockey Now]
“There are very few people who truly understand what it has meant to grow up as a New Jersey Devil. Nico Hischier and Jesper Bratt have never had to explain it to one another. They were there for each other at the beginning, two teenagers trying to find their place in a new league, a new city and a life that suddenly looked very different from the one they had known. And they’ve been there for virtually everything since.” [Devils NHL]
“The beginning of this conversation about no-move and no-trade clauses, we do take as an attack on players’ CBA-negotiated rights. And we will treat it as such.” [The Athletic ($)]
“The past few seasons were difficult for Elias Pettersson, but these first few outings may suggest that the 27-year-old center has found his spark again. What has led to his strong start?” [The Hockey News]
Feel free to discuss these and any other hockey-related stories in the comments below.
Following Monday’s announcement that this would be Alex Ovechkin’s final NHL season, Pittsburgh Penguins and Washington Capitals fans likely peeked at the schedule to see how many more times the two generation-defining rivals would face off. Luckily for us, tonight is the first of four final regular season matchups between Ovechkin and Crosby. Puck drop is set for 7:30 p.m. in the nation’s capital. [NHL]
With that introduction out of the way…
Here are your Pens Points for this Wednesday morning…
The Penguins made some changes to their forward lines at Tuesday’s practice following Monday’s 3-2 loss to the Winnipeg Jets, with Hendrix Lapierre moving up to Sidney Crosby’s line and Nick Robertson dropping to the fourth line. [PensBurgh]
Forward Bryan Rust appears close to returning from an upper-body injury after participating fully in Tuesday’s practice in a regular-contact jersey. Rust, who has missed Pittsburgh’s first three games, skated on a line with Ben Kindel and Ville Koivunen. [Trib Live]
News and notes from around the NHL…
The NHL has ended its “Hot for Hockey” marketing campaign less than a week after launching the series of short, romance novel-style audio stories featuring real NHL players. The league said the campaign was intended as a one-week promotion tied to the start of the season, and the seven episodes released on Spotify have since been removed, with no new installments planned. [CBC]
New York Islanders goaltender Semyon Varlamov made his first NHL start in nearly two years Tuesday against the New York Rangers at Madison Square Garden. The 38-year-old returned after undergoing partial replacements on both knees and last played Nov. 29, 2024, before missing the following season. [NHL]
Gavin McKenna, the No. 1 overall pick of the 2026 NHL draft, scored his first career goal on Tuesday night, getting one past Nashville Predators goaltender Juuse Saros in the second period of his fourth professional game. [TSN]
Florida Panthers captain Aleksander Barkov is set to miss six to eight weeks with a lower-body injury. Barkov, who missed all of last season because of a right knee injury, was hurt in his second game back and will not require surgery. [The Associated Press via Sportsnet]
Nashville Predators (1-1-1, in the Central Division) vs. Montreal Canadiens (1-1-1, in the Atlantic Division)
Montreal, Quebec; Thursday, 7 p.m. EDT
BOTTOM LINE: The Montreal Canadiens host the Nashville Predators after Zachary Bolduc's two-goal game against the Carolina Hurricanes in the Canadiens' 6-4 loss.
Montreal had a 48-24-10 record overall and a 26-19-4 record at home last season. The Canadiens had a 23.1% power play success rate last season, scoring 56 goals on 242 chances.
Nashville had a 38-34-10 record overall and a 17-17-7 record on the road last season. The Predators scored 242 total goals a season ago, averaging 3.0 per game on 27.8 shots per game.
INJURIES: Canadiens: Oliver Kapanen: day to day (lower-body), Kaiden Guhle: out (groin), Ivan Demidov: out (lower-body), Lucas Condotta: out (undisclosed), Bryce Pickford: out (undisclosed).
Predators: Justus Annunen: out (undisclosed).
___
The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.
Chicago Blackhawks (1-3, in the Central Division) vs. New York Islanders (1-2, in the Metropolitan Division)
Elmont, New York; Thursday, 7:30 p.m. EDT
BOTTOM LINE: The Chicago Blackhawks will attempt to end a three-game road slide when they visit the New York Islanders.
New York went 43-34-5 overall and 22-17-2 in home games last season. The Islanders averaged 3.0 power-play chances per game last season, and converted on 16.5% (40 total power-play goals).
Chicago went 29-39-14 overall and 15-20-6 in road games a season ago. The Blackhawks scored 40 power-play goals last season on 236 chances for a 17.0% success rate.
INJURIES: Islanders: Mathew Barzal: out (knee), Alexander Romanov: day to day (undisclosed).
Blackhawks: Andrew Mangiapane: out (lower-body), Teuvo Teravainen: day to day (undisclosed), Ryan Ellis: out for season (back), Connor Bedard: out (shoulder).
___
The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.
The New York Rangers defeated the New York Islanders 5-2 on Tuesday night, marking their fourth straight win.
After a grueling five games in eight nights, the Rangers have come away with an impressive 4-1 record to kick off the 2026-27 season.
"We just went through a pretty tough stretch, five games in eight nights against some pretty good teams, and these guys, they're competing hard,” Mike Sullivan said.
On Tuesday night, the Rangers’ recipe to success was more or less the same, with a more structured brand of hockey at both ends of the ice at the forefront.
Here are some of the biggest takeaways from Tuesday night’s game for the Blueshirts:
Cole Beaudoin Makes NHL Debut:
With Joe Veleno placed on injured reserve due to a lower-body injury, the Rangers recalled Cole Beaudoin from the Hartford Wolf Pack of the American Hockey League.
The Blueshirts acquired Beaudoin as part of the trade that sent Vincent Trocheck to the Mammoth, and while the 2024 first-round pick wasn’t necessarily expected to be pushed up to the NHL this early, his hot start in Hartford, in which he recorded five points in two games, led to the call-up.
“This is something I’ve worked for as a little kid, a dream come true,” Beaudoin said. “Playing my first NHL game and just all the hours put into this, and all the coaching staff, my parents, my brothers, just pushing me, helping me to get to this point. It means a lot that they were able to be here again tonight.”
Beaudoin was noticeably aggressive on the forecheck and in the offensive zone, as he was able to use his 6-foot-2 frame to his advantage, keeping plays alive and playing a physical brand of hockey.
The 20-year-old forward’s reliable two-way game gave Sullivan the confidence to put him in some defensive situations, specifically taking defensive-zone draws.
“I thought we were good on the forecheck which caused some of those chances in the offensive zone,” Beaudoin said. “Then in the D-zone when we were there, I thought we were pretty sound. So I thought we did a good job and played our game, played our role.”
Beaudoin played 9:57 minutes while recording a 54.5% faceoff win percentage.
Oliver Bjorkstrand Provides Offensive Spark:
When the Rangers signed Oliver Bjorkstrand to a one-year, $4.5 million contract during the offseason, the expectation was that he would give the team a much-needed offensive boost.
On Tuesday night, Bjorkstrand scored two goals, finding the back of the net for the first time as a member of the Rangers.
Throughout the entirety of training camp and to start the season, Bjorkstrand was playing on a line with J.T. Miller and Pavel Dorofeyev, slotted into a prominent top-six role.
However, Bjorkstrand has been demoted to the fourth line over the past couple of games, raising questions about what his overall role will actually look like.
Sullivan didn’t view this change as a demotion, and he envisions Bjorkstrand being utilized in a multitude of ways moving forward.
“That's one of the things that we felt we could do for our team is score goals, regardless of where we put him in the lineup. He's shown an ability to score goals in this league,” Sullivan said. “We felt like adding him as part of our 12 would potentially boost our offense…
“I would imagine throughout the rest of the season, he's probably a guy we're going to move around because he's fairly versatile. So he may go up and down lines depending on what the needs are at the time. So he's a valuable player for us. He had a great night for us.”
Alexis Lafrenière Continues To Expand Game:
Alexis Lafrenière recorded a hat trick against the Islanders with two empty-net goals. The main takeaway wasn’t that he completed the hat trick, but why he was on the ice for those empty net goals in the first place.
Since Sullivan’s arrival last season, we’ve seen Lafrenière embrace playing a hard-nosed and physical brand of hockey.
While he may have been known for being a flashy offensive player when originally coming into the NHL, Lafrenière's game has evolved, and he’s now a multidimensional player to the point where Sullivan trusts him on the ice in 6-on-5 situations.
“If you notice, we are using him on 5-on-6. That’s a responsibility, that's a privilege. We think that he’s a guy that’s very capable there and we’re challenging him there to bring a defensive conscientious in those situations, and he gets rewarded with empty-net opportunities. We;re ot just handing this stuff to Laf. He’s earned that, and that’s why we've given him that opportunity. His overall game, his complete game on both sides of the puck continues to grow and develop.”
From an offensive standpoint, the 24-year-old forward has looked comfortable playing on a line with Mika Zibanejad and Gabe Perreault, as he continues to flash off his high potential.
"His ceiling, I don't think he's touched it yet,” Zibanejad said of Lafrenière.
Rangers Keep Up Structured Defensive Hockey:
Outside of maybe goaltending, the Rangers’ biggest key to their recent success has to be the way that they’ve been able to defend.
Similar to their previous three wins, the Rangers held a one-goal lead heading into the third period against the Islanders, and put on a valiant defensive effort in front of Igor Shesterkin to come out with the victory.
The Blueshirts gave up a season-low of 19 shots on Tuesday night, and the Islanders only squeaked out five shots in the final frame, indicative of the Rangers’ evolving defensive-team game.
“We really liked our third period,” Zibanejad said. “I think the team game has been great, and that’s a good sign… I think we just keep playing. We don’t back off. I think we're confident in our game and what we're capable of doing.”
It’s not just the way the Rangers are defending, but it’s sticking true to their system and continuing to play loose and aggressive even when trying to maintain a lead.
“We’re not sitting back trying to defend leads. We’re playing hard, playing on our toes, but we’re doing it responsibility,” Sullivan said. “I think that’s a great sign for us the way we’re competing in the third periods as well. I’m proud of the guys.”
Tomas Hertl had two goals and three assists, Jack Eichel added a goal and two assists, and the Vegas Golden Knights rolled past the Seattle Kraken, 6-2, Tuesday at Climate Pledge Arena.
Victor Olofsson scored twice and Mark Stone had a goal and an assist for the Golden Knights, who swept their two-game road trip through Vancouver and Seattle. Carter Hart stopped 24 shots.
"Continuing to build our game," Golden Knights coach Ryan Craig said. "I like the way that we stayed with the game. I like the way we stuck together. Just a real good victory from Carter all the way out."
Olofsson opened the scoring at 13:02 of the first period. Seattle challenged the goal, but the call stood, putting Vegas on the power play because of the unsuccessful challenge. Hertl capitalized at 15:58 to make it 2-0.
Vegas then turned what could have been an opening for Seattle into the game’s defining sequence early in the second.
The Golden Knights began the period shorthanded, but Hart made two saves before Stone scored on a 2-on-1 at 1:43 for a 3-0 advantage.
"I thought we got some momentum from those two kills," Eichel said. "Tons of credit to the penalty kill. And Hartsy made some big saves as well, key times of the game."
Olofsson scored his second of the night at 13:07, and Eichel made it 5-0 with 31 seconds remaining in the second. Eichel finished with three points, giving him nine through four games while extending his season-opening point streak to four games.
Seattle’s Shane Wright spoiled Hart’s shutout at 4:52 of the third.
The game turned physical later in the period. Stone fought Brandon Montour and completed a Gordie Howe hat trick, while Marc Gatcomb later dropped the gloves with Ryan Winterton after Winterton hit Trevor Connelly.
Hertl scored his second power-play goal of the game during the third period, completing his five-point night.
Olofsson left the game following a third-period hit and was being evaluated afterward, according to Craig.
"We never want to see anyone leave like that," Craig said. "Oly’s been off to a great start for us."
Vegas also continued its remarkable success in Seattle, improving to 6-0-3 at Climate Pledge Arena, one of only three active NHL buildings in which the Golden Knights have never lost in regulation.
With this win, Climate Pledge Arena remains one of the three active buildings in which VGK have never lost in regulation.
SAP Center: 16-0-3 Climate Pledge Arena: 6-0-3 Prudential Center: 5-0-3
The penalty kill to open the second period. Leading 2-0, Vegas began the period shorthanded. Hart made two saves before Stone converted a 2-on-1 for a shorthanded goal at 1:43. Instead of Seattle cutting into the deficit, the Golden Knights stretched their lead to three.
Craig said Vegas "found a way to get the kill and a shorthanded goal in the second one to stretch the lead."
KEY STAT - VGK Power
The Golden Knights have scored at least one power-play goal in each of their first four games for the first time in franchise history. Hertl scored twice with the man advantage Tuesday.
WHAT A KNIGHT - Mark Stone
The captain delivered a Gordie Howe hat trick with a goal, an assist and a fight, while his shorthanded goal early in the second period gave him 400 points as a Golden Knight. Stone later dropped the gloves with Montour during a heated third period, providing another example of the leadership his teammates repeatedly praised afterward.
"Good job by our captain," Craig said. "Part of the reason he wears the letter he wears on his chest. He stepped up to the challenge there and answered the bell."
The Golden Knights return home for their next game at T-Mobile Arena.
PHOTO CAPTION
Seattle Kraken defenseman Cale Fleury (8) reaches for the puck played by Vegas Golden Knights center Jack Eichel (9) during the first period at Climate Pledge Arena.
Florida Panthers center Lars Eller, second from right, celebrates with teammates after scoring past Kings goaltender Darcy Kuemper during the Kings' loss Tuesday at Crypto.com Arena. (Mark J. Terrill / Associated Press)
Before the first home game of their upcoming 60th anniversary year Tuesday, the Kings honored their past by unveiling a modest Hall of Fame on the concourse of Crypto.com Arena.
An hour later, this season’s Kings took the ice and made some history of their own, though not the kind they had hoped for, falling to the Florida Panthers 2-1 to open a season with three consecutive losses for the first time since 2020.
For Peter Laviolette, the history was even more unwanted since the team’s 0-2-1 start makes him the first Kings coach to go winless in his first three games since Robbie Ftorek in 1987.
Laviolette was a 23-year-old defenseman with the U.S. national team then. He would go on to win 934 NHL games as a coach, the most ever for an American, but he has yet to add to that total with the Kings. It didn’t help that two of the first three games with his new franchise came against Colorado and Florida, popular picks to finish the season in the Stanley Cup Final.
And it doesn’t get any easier, with the Kings’ next two games against the Vegas Golden Knights and Edmonton Oilers.
Still, Laviolette was accepting no moral victories Tuesday for just keeping the game close.
“I’m more in the business of winning hockey games. I don’t think there’s any consolation in a 2-1 loss,” he said. “We could have done better with regard to execution, on how we move the puck or how we attack. We turned it over too much in our end. We turned it over too much in the neutral zone.”
The Kings took the lead before the first intermission Tuesday when Alex Laferriere pounced on the rebound of an Erik Haula shot and put it into the back of the net for his first goal of the season.
Florida took a pair of penalties before the period ended, giving the Kings a two-man advantage and a chance to add to their lead. But they managed to do nothing on the power-play and immediately gave up a goal after it when Florida defenseman Seth Jones scored off a rush 3:49 into the second period.
“Momentum kind of shifted on us when we couldn’t really get that PP going,” captain Drew Doughty said.
“Any given moment inside of a game can give energy or take energy,” Laviolette said. “Obviously when you get that opportunity, you’re looking to create a bigger lead. That didn’t happen. So that pulls it away a little bit.”
Florida, playing for the second time without injured captain Aleksander Barkov, who is out six to eight weeks with a lower-body injury, suffered another massive loss when Brad Marchand skated into the right post after taking a high stick from Clarke with 52 seconds left in the second period.
Marchand’s left knee appeared to bend awkwardly when he hit the post and he had to be helped off the ice and to the locker room. He did not come back — nor did the Kings, with Matthew Tkachuk turning a Clarke giveaway at center ice into the go-ahead goal with 8:40 remaining.
When Laviolette joined the team in June he became the Kings’ fourth coach in 28 months. He has been tasked with reorienting the team, moving away from its conservative defensive-first approach to an aggressive attacking style, with defensemen often joining the rush.
So far, it has yielded mixed results. Although the Kings, one of the lowest-scoring teams in the NHL last season, are still looking for a win, they’ve scored nine goals in three games and they’ve gotten seven points from their defensemen. But they’ve also given up 15 goals and struggled on special teams, scoring just twice on 12 power plays.
“I didn’t think we played poorly. And I know we’ve lost three now,” Doughty said. “But I’m still confident in what we’re building, and I think we’ve been playing better each game.
“With new coaches, we’re getting new systems and stuff and I think we’ve adjusted to them pretty well. But there’s still room for improvement. And when we really get those down pat, I think we’re going to be a very, very good team.”
Until then, the Kings may continue making an unwanted kind of history; they haven’t opened a season with four straight losses this century.
Drew Doughty has only known one thing in his career.
The Los Angeles Kings.
Doughty, 36, is in his first season serving as the captain of the Kings and shared a heartfelt, two-page letter he wrote to the team’s former captain and the greatest hockey player of all time, Wayne Gretzky.
Drew Doughty reveals a heartfelt letter he wrote to Wayne Gretzky as a child. ZUMAPRESS.com
“Dear Mr. Gretzky, my name is Drew. I am 5 years old. I played hockey this year for the London Red Circle Raiders in the mite division,” Doughty wrote. “It was my 2nd year of hockey. Last year I scored 6 goals all year. This year I got 93 goals.”
As Doughty’s five-year-old self was writing to his hockey hero, he revealed that his coaches didn’t keep score, but the parents attending the games did.
Doughty went on to tell Gretzky that he is his favorite hockey player, and that the Kings were his “favourite team,” in true Canadian spelling.
“My mommy says I used to cry to stay up late and watch hockey when I was two years old.”
Drew Doughty shares a heartfelt letter he wrote to Wayne Gretzky as a child. NHLI via Getty Images
In the letter, Doughty asked Gretzky if he could do him a favor and say hi to then-Kings goalie Kelly Hrudley.
At the end of the letter, he went on to congratulate Gretzky on reaching his 2,500th NHL point and gave him a fun fact.
“Also my grandma was at Parkwood Hospital in London [Ontario]. She said one of her nurses went to your wedding,” Doughty wrote.
Drew Doughty has played for the Kings for the entirety of his NHL career. NHLI via Getty Images
For Doughty, life has come full circle as he’s had a 19-year career in the NHL with the Kings, and will likely play the rest of his career with the franchise.
He also helped the franchise he grew up admiring win two Stanley Cup titles in 2012 and 2014. During their 2012 title run, Doughty had four goals in the playoffs and collected 16 points with 12 assists.
