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Minnesota Wild Acquire Former Top Prospect From San Jose Sharks

Before its game against the Washington Capitals tonight, the Minnesota Wild announced a trade. The Wild have acquired former top prospect Oskar Olausson.

The San Jose Sharks got defenseman Kyle Masters in return for Olausson.

Masters, 22, was the Wild's 118th pick from the 2021 NHL Draft and had spent the last two years in the Wild's organization. He had one goal and five assists in 35 AHL games the last two years for the Iowa Wild.

Olausson, 22, was the Colorado Avalanche's 28th overall pick from the 2021 NHL Draft. He was once considered a top prospect for the Avalanche but only skated in four NHL games in his career since.

Last season the 6-foot-1 forward recorded 11 goals and 26 points in 62 games for the Colorado Eagles. He has 33 goals, 33 assists and 66 points in 163 career AHL games across four seasons.

It is a pretty low risk move for the Wild. If Olausson can get back to what he was projected to become, that would be great for Minnesota. If not, it's still good to have some young depth in the American League.

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Scott Morrow Reflects On Training Camp And Opportunity Currently In Front Of Him With The Rangers

Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images

With the New York Rangers dealing with a couple of injuries on the back end, the team called up Scott Morrow from the Hartford Wolf Pack of the American Hockey League. 

While his services on the ice haven’t been needed just yet, Morrow is back in an NHL environment, which he’s ecstatic about. 

“It’s always good to stay ready,” Morrow said. “I'm happy to be back, and it's fun being out here with these guys.”

The Rangers acquired Morrow from the Carolina Hurricanes over the summer in a sign-and-trade deal that included K’Andre Miller.

During training camp, Morrow was given an opportunity to thrive, as he was put in a role quarterbacking the power play and had the opportunity to suit up in multiple preseason games. 

The 22-year-old showed some impressive flashes over the course of training camp, but he was ultimately sent down to the AHL. 

When addressing his training-camp performance, Morrow emphasized that he was pleased with some aspects of his game. 

However, he knows there’s still a different gear he could hit. 

“My performance I would say was pretty solid. I think I have a higher level of offense I could bring maybe than what I showed in training camp, although I thought I did a solid job on a power play when I got those opportunities,” Morrow said. 

“I think I could push myself to create a little bit more. As a younger defenseman in the NHL, your first responsibility is to defend, so that's what's going to get me here, so I need to focus on that just as much, if not more. I would say I had a pretty solid training camp. I think I showed well and showed my skill set, but I have a higher level to reach.”

Mike Sullivan and the Rangers’ coaching staff left Morrow with a positive message upon sending him down to Hartford, as they made it clear that he wasn’t far off from making the opening-night roster.

The Rangers' Scoring Woes Are Beginning To Be Hard To Ignore The Rangers' Scoring Woes Are Beginning To Be Hard To Ignore The theme of the 2025-26 season for the New York <a href="https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/new-york-rangers/">Rangers</a> thus far has been their inability to score, despite generating numerous scoring opportunities.&nbsp;

“As far as feedback from the coaching staff, they just said I'm close and just got to keep working on a couple little things, being more physical, and just try and knock the door down and force them to play me,” Morrow said.

This call-up for Morrow is an opportunity regardless of whether he plays in a game or not. It’s important for him to show the coaching staff his level of professionalism and maturity. 

Everything happens for a reason, and now it’s on Morrow to seize this opportunity, whatever may come of it.

“You always have something to prove,” Morrow said. “Even guys who are making a lot of money, who played 500,000 games in the NHL. They always have something to prove, and your job is on the line every day, so I would say my mentality hasn't changed.”

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‘Illusion of democracy’: Ben Sulayem’s last rival exits FIA presidential race

  • Tim Mayer hits out over rules surrounding election

  • Mohammed Ben Sulayem will be the only candidate

The FIA has been accused of presenting an “illusion of democracy” in an uncompromising broadside from the last remaining challenger to Mohammed Ben Sulayem as he formally announced his attempt to succeed the organisation’s incumbent president was over. Tim Mayer, a former FIA senior steward, also condemned Formula One’s governing body for lacking transparency and threatening the sport’s future.

The 59-year-old American, who was sacked from his FIA role last year, had been standing as a candidate against Ben Sulayem but on Friday in Austin acknowledged the incumbent would run unopposed because of the way FIA electoral regulations are composed.

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Is 6-Foot-9 Curtis Douglas' Punchy NHL Debut A Testament Of What's To Come?

Curtis Douglas started his NHL career with a bang last week, dropping the gloves nine seconds into his first shift. 

His opponent was no lightweight, the Ottawa Senators' Kurtis MacDermid, a veteran and known bruiser with over 40 fights in his NHL career.

The Tampa Bay Lightning claimed Douglas, an Oakville, Ont., native, off waivers from the Utah Mammoth on Oct. 6. He is one of only three 6-foot-9 players to ever play in the NHL.

His message was clear from the very first puck drop: he's not looking to blend in.

The fight was brief but a testament to what is to come. In an era where the enforcer role has seemed to cycle out of most lineups, Douglas' debut seemed like a throwback to what hockey used to be. But what does his debut say about the modern NHL?

Before reaching The Show, Douglas carved out a steady AHL career using his size and presence on the ice. Over 261 games in the AHL, he spent most of his time with the Tucson Roadrunners, skating in 170 games along with brief stints in Toronto and Belleville. Last season, Douglas played in 63 games and recorded 10 goals, 23 points and 117 penalty minutes.

But Douglas’ penalty minutes only tell part of the story. He recorded nine fights last season and 32 in his AHL career, according to hockeyfights.com. Those numbers place him firmly among the league’s more active enforcers.

And Douglas is not alone in this approach.

In the 2023-24 season, New York Rangers left winger Matt Rempe similarly burst onto the scene, dropping the gloves nine times in his first two NHL seasons, including a memorable one during his NHL debut against Matt Martin in a 6-5 overtime win at MetLife Stadium in February 2024.

In three NHL games for Douglas so far, he has six hits, two shots and seven penalty minutes while averaging 5:39 of ice time. Rempe, meanwhile, has 22 hits, six shots and a goal in six games this season with 11:29 of ice time per game.

For years, fighting seemed to be fizzling out of the NHL. In the 2009-10 regular season, there were 714 fights in 1,230 games, according to hockeyfights.com. That comes out to about 0.58 fights per game.

By the 2019-20 season, cut short due to COVID-19, that number had fallen to 195 fights in 1,082 games for a rate of 0.18 fisticuffs per contest, a roughly 69-percent decrease from a decade prior.

But it seems the tide could be shifting. The 2024-25 season saw 297 fights in 1,312 games for 0.23 fights per match, a roughly 26 percent increase from five years earlier.

The rise suggests that the role of the enforcer may be evolving, not dying – and Curtis Douglas could be part of its next chapter.

Jacob Carabetta is an intern at The Hockey News.

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‘Inspiring’ Lewis Moody will make it a day of emotion at Leicester-Bath clash

Fans of his old clubs have chance to show support for their former flanker after shock of his MND diagnosis

Emotions are bound to run high at Welford Road on Saturday, and not just because Bath are in town to renew one of the great rivalries in English rugby.

Not even because Leicester’s round-four date with the reigning champions is a repeat of last season’s final, a little over four months ago, when Johann van Graan’s side resisted a fierce Tigers fightback at Twickenham to claim their first league title in 29 years.

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Knicks managing injuries to key players as season-opener looms

As a precautionary measure, the Knicks will play without Josh Hart (back), Mitchell Robinson (workload management), Karl-Anthony Towns (quad) and OG Anunoby (ankle) in their preseason finale against the Hornets on Friday night.

Robinson was held out of practice on Wednesday and Thursday due to workload management.

"Anytime you're missing guys, it's next guy step up," Knicks head coach Mike Brown said before the game. "Knock on wood, we could be missing guys during the season. It's just another opportunity for guys to step up and get a chance to play. We'll go out and try to win the game with who's available tonight."

Due to his injury history, New York plans to manage Robinson’s workload for the foreseeable future. That means he will miss games during the regular season when healthy.

Robinson has been dealing with some soreness in the preseason. Maybe the Knicks hold him out on Friday due to precautionary reasons ahead of the regular season. (It would be a surprise if the Knicks’ workload management plan kept Robinson from playing in Wednesday’s season opener).  

ESPN NBA analyst Richard Jefferson sees Robinson as a key to this Knicks season.

“You look at Mitchell Robinson; how healthy is he going to be? What is their big depth? Especially when you look at what’s coming out of the West. Most likely what’s going to come out of the West is a team with at least two or possibly three very good bigs,” Jefferson said on a conference call Thursday to preview the NBA season.

“Mitchell Robinson has to be healthy. If he’s not healthy and Karl-Anthony Towns is your primary big and you’re going to try to win a championship against all of those bigs that are floating around… if he’s not healthy during the season, they’re going to have trouble in my opinion.”

Jefferson would also like to see the Knicks’ offense a bit more balanced this season under Mike Brown. He believes it will pay dividends in the postseason.

“I’m talking about a fraction (of a change to the offense). I like the ball in Jalen Brunson’s hands – he’s the type of player that can do all the things,” Jefferson said. “But just a little bit more balance can take pressure off of him. That’s what I think will allow him a little more burst. You don’t want him working as hard – especially if you’re planning on playing until June. Because that’s a different monster.

"Playing all season takes a special player. Playing a couple rounds in the playoffs, as the main guy, is another level. Playing all the way to the Finals? If you’re having to do that, that’s very very difficult. So even relieving some of that pressure …I think will help because they’re minutes will be down throughout the regular season because of the coaching change.”

Fellow ESPN NBA analyst Tim Legler will be watching New York’s pick-and-roll defense closely throughout the season.

Legler said on Wednesday that the Knicks “need to be much better defensively than they’ve been in defending ball screens. That was a major problem from them a year ago. They can get physical with (OG) Anunoby and (Mikal) Bridges and things on the wings, the way they can guard one on one.

“But their ability to defend ball screens is going to be challenged every night. They’ve got to figure out how they defend that. Because they were taken advantage of a year ago, everybody knew that, they attacked it.”

Both Legler and Jefferson agree that the Knicks’ health in the postseason is incredibly important. You can say the same for every team. But the Knicks need a healthy Robinson in high-stakes playoff games. Without Robinson, the club can’t play its double big lineup and it would presumably ask Towns to play center.

“The talent is there, the opportunity is there. The Knicks should be thinking ‘Get to the Finals,’” Legler said. “Anything short of that this year should be a disappointment for the New York Knicks, that’s the way they should view it because of what’s in front of them in the Eastern Conference.”

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When does the 2025-26 NBA season start?

Basketball is finally back, and this year is especially monumental as the NBA returns to NBC after 24 years and makes its debut on Peacock. The season tips off on Tuesday, October 21, with a doubleheader. First, the NBA Champion Oklahoma City Thunder host the Houston Rockets at 7:30 PM ET. Then, at 10:00 PM it's the Golden State Warriors vs LA Lakers in a Western Conference showdown. Live coverage begins at 6:30 PM on NBC and Peacock.

See below for additional information on how to stream the NBA on Peacock this season.

Click here to sign up for Peacock!

NBA: Preseason-Denver Nuggets at Toronto Raptors
NBA season 2025-26 preview: Western Conference tiers, predictions
It’s time to talk about the varsity.

How to watch Houston Rockets vs Oklahoma Thunder:

When: Tuesday, October 21
Where: Paycom Center, Oklahoma City, OK
Time: 7:30 PM ET
TV Channel: NBC
Live Stream:Peacock

Kevin Durant
NBA season 2025-26 preview: Which player who changed teams will have the biggest impact?
Kevin Durant to Houston and Desmond Bane to Orlando are the obvious names, but who else made the list?

How to watch Golden State Warriors vs LA Lakers:

When: Tuesday, October 21
Where: Crypto.com Arena, Los Angeles, CA
Time: 10:00 PM ET
TV Channel: NBC
Live Stream:Peacock

NBA: Preseason-Milwaukee Bucks at Chicago Bulls
NBA season 2025-26 preview: Award winners odds, predictions
How about Giannis Antetokounmpo for MVP?

Which NBA games are available to watch on Peacock?

100 regular-season games will be available to watch on NBC and Peacock, plus NBA playoff games, Conference Finals, and the NBA All-Star game. Watch Sunday Night Basketball on Peacock and NBC starting in January 2026, Monday games, and Tuesday night doubleheaders throughout the regular season. Game scheduling subject to change.

How to watch the 2025-26 NBA Season on NBC/Peacock?

Fans can sign up for a paid Peacock subscription or log in to their TV provider on NBC to access 100 regular-season games that will be available to watch on Peacock and NBC, plus NBA playoff games, Conference Finals, and the NBA All-Star game. Fans can also watch Sunday Night Basketball on Peacock and NBC starting in January 2026, exclusive Monday games only on Peacock, and Tuesday night doubleheaders throughout the regular season.

NBA on NBC 2025-26 Schedule

Click here to see the full list of NBA games that will air on NBC and Peacock this season.

What devices does Peacock support?

You can enjoy Peacock on a variety of devices. View the full list of supported devices here.

Ten must-see games on NBA schedule:

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Rookie Comes Through Shorthanded, Propels Penguins Past Kings, 3-2

Pittsburgh Penguins' rookies have certainly been making their mark in the earlygoing of the 2025-26 season.

And one of them made a statement with his first goal in the NHL.

On Thursday, the Penguins beat the Los Angeles Kings, 3-2, and the game-winning goal came courtesy of a third-period shorthanded tally by rookie forward Filip Hallander, which doubled as his first NHL goal.

Hallander and Rickard Rakell broke into the attacking zone on a two-on-one, and Rakell made a nice play to get the puck to the net, where Hallander was waiting. The 25-year-old Swedish forward took a few hacks and finally got the puck past Kings' goalie Anton Forsberg.

"Raks got a good shot away," Hallander said. "I almost had an open net on the rebound. Missed that, then I just jammed the puck with all I could. Happy to see it go in."

The game didn't start off in ideal fashion for the Penguins, who got buried and hemmed in early. Warren Foegele scored just 4:24 into the first period off of a juicy rebound by goaltender Arturs Silovs, and he got to the net front a bit too easily. Kevin Fiala put the Kings on the board less than five minutes later after an offensive zone turnover by Anthony Mantha and a pretty passing play from Quinton Byfield to make it 2-0.

The second period started much the same, with the Kings taking it to the Penguins and caving them in their own zone quite frequently. Then, Byfield took a hooking penalty near the six-minute mark of the middle frame, and the Penguins took advantage.

Evgeni Malkin - who had six assists and a team-high six points to start the season - walked the puck from the left point to the bottom of the left circle, searching for passing options and finding none. He found the five-hole on Forsberg and put it through, cutting the Kings' lead in half. The goal also tied him for 41st on the NHL's all-time list in goals and 29th on the all-time list in scoring.

Then, just 41 seconds later, Connor Dewar tied the game at 2-2 after a nice play on the way to the net by Noel Acciari to get the puck to Dewar, who beat Forsberg short-side.

Sidney Crosby took his second penalty of the game five minutes into the third, and the Penguins went on the penalty kill. That's when Rakell gained positioning to create a two-on-one and get the puck to the net. His shot hit the cross-bar, and Rakell backhanded the rebound back toward Forsberg, which was when Hallander stuffed it in. 

Then, with 31 seconds left in regulation and the Kings pushing pretty hard, Crosby buried it in the empty-net from center ice to put the game away. 

Silovs was shaky early on, but he settled in and stopped 30 of 32 shots, many of which were tough saves later on in the game.

Despite Healthy Scratches, 'Development Plan' Could Be Good Sign For Two Top Penguins' ProspectsDespite Healthy Scratches, 'Development Plan' Could Be Good Sign For Two Top Penguins' ProspectsEven if the Penguins sideline top prospects Brunicke and Kindel for "development," this strategic move signals a long-term commitment - possibly defying expectations of a return to juniors for both players.

Bookmark THN - Pittsburgh Penguins on your Google News tab to follow the latest Penguins news, roster moves, player features, and more!  

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Draymond Green clarifies misconception about how Steve Kerr coaches Steph Curry

Draymond Green clarifies misconception about how Steve Kerr coaches Steph Curry originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

After over a decade of continuity for the Warriors, it’s clear that nobody in the organization gets special treatment. Not even the centerpiece.

Two-time NBA MVP Steph Curry is coached the same way as everyone else. Draymond Green elaborates on coach Steve Kerr’s style.

“Most people think Steph can do what he wants,” Green said. “No. He’s on Steph’s ass all the time. Defense, turnovers. He coaches Steph really, really, really hard. I don’t think people realize that.”

There have been multiple occasions where Kerr has shown his frustration with Curry through his body language. In a game early in the 2023 season, Curry flung a careless fourth-quarter pass in Minnesota, landing out of bounds near Kerr. The coach stomped around in disgust on the sidelines.

“The next day I pulled him aside,” Kerr said, relaying his message to Curry. “‘Hey, I was watching the tape and I saw my reaction, I shouldn’t have done that.'”

Curry’s response: “Hell no. That was a terrible decision. You got to coach me.”

Many coaches live by the theory that your best players should be coached the hardest in front of everyone to set the tone. Sometimes this can lead to a disconnect between star play and the coach.

“Not all players in this league can handle that being put out to the public,” Kerr said.

Curry is a rare breed. On the court, everyone can see why, but it’s his temperament outside the lines that can be overlooked.

“He actually probably gets on me more now than ever,” Curry said. “The one conversation we’ve had is to coach me like you would coach everybody because that’ll help strengthen your voice in the locker room, create that trust.”

Creating a culture starts with building an identity and holding everyone involved to the highest standard, including one of the best players of all time.

Download and follow the Dubs Talk Podcast

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NBA season 2025-26 preview: Eastern Conference tiers, plus East and NBA Finals predictions

Everyone keeps talking about the "weaker" Eastern Conference, but two years ago the Celtics were a dominant force on their way to a title, and last season the Pacers pushed the Thunder to seven games in the NBA Finals and left us with one of the greatest "what ifs?" in NBA history.

This season, nobody is giving the Eastern Conference a chance. Underestimate these teams at your own peril. Which teams can not only make the Finals but threaten the Thunder, Nuggets or whoever comes out of the West? Let's break the East down by tiers.

TITLE CONTENDERS

1. Cavaliers
2. Knicks

SECOND CIRCLE CONTENDERS

3. Magic
4. Hawks

PLAYOFFS OR BUST

5. Bucks
6. Pistons
7. 76ers

HOPEFUL PLAY-IN TEAMS

8. Heat
9. Celtics
10. Raptors
11. Bulls
12. Pacers
13. Hornets

LOTTERY BOUND

14. Wizards
15. Nets

Eastern Conference Finals

Cleveland Cavaliers defeat the New York Knicks

NBA Finals

Denver Nuggets defeat the Cleveland Cavaliers

Tyrese Haliburton and the Pacers pushing the Thunder in the Finals last season was a great story, but I don't see anything close to that happening again. I like Cleveland to win the East because of their defense and balance of scoring (I think they learned hard lessons in last year's playoffs), but it doesn't really matter if it's the Cavs or Knicks. Denver and Oklahoma City — whichever team comes out of the West (I have picked Denver) — are just better than anyone in the East. In particular, if the matchup is Cleveland and OKC, the East and the Cavaliers are in trouble (two similar teams in style and design, but the Thunder are just better at everything).

My prediction is that Nikola Jokic gets ring number two. What Denver was lacking a season ago, the front office addressed this offseason (somewhere Michael Malone is frustrated and just shaking his head). Cameron Johnson and Jonas Valanciunas will play critical roles (this team isn't going to fall off a cliff when Jokic sits, like previous years).

---------------------------------------

There is a clear line drawn in the East, the top two teams appear a good step or two ahead of the rest of the pack. The Cavaliers won 64 games last season and learned the hard way about what it takes to win in the playoffs, now they are running back a talented and deep roster. They need to stay healthy (no Darius Garland to start the season) and Evan Mobley needs to take another step forward on the offensive end, but I expect those things to happen. New York feels it just needs to improve around the edges, and Mike Brown can bring a little more ball and player movement to New York to facilitate that, with a bench he can trust. The Knicks, led by the gritty Jalen Brunson and the sharp-shooting Karl-Anthony Towns, are still a team fully capable of taking the next step to the NBA Finals.

• Orlando is the one team that could crash the Knicks/Cavs party. This was a team already looking ready to make a leap behind Paolo Banchero, Franz Wagner, plus an elite defense. Now, they have added Desmond Bane and Tyus Jones to fill in needed gaps in shooting and having a floor general. Like just about everyone, I am high on Orlando, but they have to prove it on the court, and then they will learn their lessons about winning in the postseason.

• Atlanta is the other team with a chance to crash the party, but a lot more things have to go right. At the top of the list: Kristaps Porzingis has to stay healthy, which is never a given. Beyond that, the question becomes, can Quin Snyder meld a roster with a lot of new parts — Porzingis, Nickeil Alexander-Walker, Luke Kennard, plus a healthy Jalen Johnson — and find chemistry on a roster built to take advantage of Trae Young's skills. This is a make-or-break season in Atlanta. If Young and this roster can't compete at a high level, what do they pivot to?

After that top four, there's a drop off in the East.

• Milwaukee has Giannis Antetokounmpo — still one of the five best players in the world — and swapped out Damian Lillard for Myles Turner, but is there enough around two proven stars to make this team a contender? It doesn't feel like it.

• A lot of fans and pundits expect Cade Cunningham and Detroit to take another step forward this season, but I'm skeptical and expect more of a plateau (Jaden Ivey missing the first month of the season doesn't help).

• The 76ers could be a contender if everything goes right for them, but with a limited Joel Embiid to start the season — plus Paul George and Jared McCain out with injuries — it's tough to be truly optimistic. Embiid reportedly will play opening night but will be on a minutes limit and will not be playing back-to-backs — he is the key to it all, if Embiid is not back close to his MVP form, none of this works.

• Miami will punch above its weight but it's not a top-six threat as constructed.

• Boston and Indiana are two of the harder teams to project — elite teams that will spend the season (or, with the Celtics, at least most of the season) without their best player. Both teams didn't just lose their star, Boston is without Porzingis and Jrue Holiday now, Indiana is without Turner. Both of these teams still have high-level championship role players on the roster, but how far can they go without their stars at 100%? Maybe I'm too low on them to start the season, but how high can you be?

• The Bulls and Raptors are teams that maybe we're underestimating, but I'm not sold. Toronto has a fair amount of talent — Brandon Ingram, Scottie Barnes, RJ Barrett, Immanuel Quickley — but a lot of it overlaps. There are smart basketball minds that think this is a playoff team in the East. I need to be convinced. Chicago locked up Josh Giddey this summer and has some talent around him with Coby White, Matas Buzelis and rookie Noa Essengue, but this is a team retooling on the fly and not ready to compete with the big boys. Also, look for them to trade Nikola Vucevic during the season.

• There's a pattern with the bottom three teams in the conference. Charlotte and LaMelo Ball will be entertaining but lose a lot of games. The Wizards have some interesting young talent — Tre Johnson, Bilal Coulibaly, Alex Sarr, Bub Carrington — but are going to lose a lot of games. Cam Thomas and Michael Porter Jr. are going to put up a lot of points for Brooklyn, but the Nets are going to lose a lot of games.

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Kings Come Up Short Against Penguins As Slow Start Continues

After losing three of their first four games of the 2025-26 season, the Los Angeles Kings entered Thursday night looking for a much-needed victory to get their season back on track.

However, they would have to battle through some early adversity as they would be without their captain and starting goaltender. Anze Kopitar and Darcy Kuemper were both sidelined against the Pittsburgh Penguins with injury.

The losses proved to be critical as the Kings once again fell short in a game that they should have come out on top.

First Period: Fast Start Gets Rewarded

From the initial drop of the puck, the Kings were the better team for the entire first period. The Kings were solid on both sides of the ice. At one point, they were outshooting Pittsburgh 8-2 before finishing the period with an 11-8 advantage in shots on goal.

Less than five minutes into the opening frame, Warren Foegele buried his first goal of the season. Foegele was rewarded after winning the battle for a loose puck off the rebound of his first shot attempt. After battling for the puck, Foegele powered it past Arturs Silovs to give LA an early 1-0 lead.

Just under halfway through the period, Kevin Fiala made it 2-0 Kings with his third goal of the year. Fiala finished off a beautiful passing play by Joel Armia and Quinton Byfield. Armia carried the puck into the offensive zone before dishing it over to Byfield, who then found Fiala with a gorgeous setup.

After 20 minutes of play, it was clear that the Kings were the better team. With strong play on both ends of the ice, LA holds a 2-0 lead with 40 minutes of play to go.

Kevin Fiala, Andrei Kuzmenko and Quinton Byfield (Stephen R. Sylvanie-Imagn Images)

Second Period: All of a Sudden, We're Tied

The Kings started the second period off strong, generating an early scoring chance. Fiala rifled a shot off the post after a nice play by Byfield. This is the second post for LA as Trevor Moore rang one off the iron in the first period.

After a rare occurrence of no penalties in the first, the Kings found themselves shorthanded early in the second period after Byfield was called for hooking. Special teams hurt them once again as Evgeni Malkin beat Anton Forsberg on the man advantage. Forsberg was beaten with a wrister from the face-off dot, one that he probably wants back.

Not even one minute after Malkin cut the LA lead in half, Conor Dewar made it 2-2. Dewar scored after gaining possession of a loose puck in front of the Kings' net. Kind of a whacky goal, but another one that Forsberg probably wants another stab at.

With just under four minutes left in the middle frame, LA found themselves on the man advantage after Sidney Crosby was called for tripping. Despite the Pens captain being in the box, the Kings couldn't get anything going on the power play.

Third Period: Special Teams Prove to be not so Special

Once again, that silly red post got in the way of a potential Kings goal as Cody Ceci fired a shot off the crossbar. After a slower-paced third period, LA had a chance to redeem themselves on the power play after Crosby was called for his second stick infraction of the evening.

They did exactly the opposite. Another terrible power play proves to be costly. The Penguins managed to escape their zone, leading to a brief two-on-one that was shut down. However, the Kings fell asleep after that, and Filip Hallander took advantage by banging home the loose puck for his first career NHL goal, which was also the eventual game-winning goal.

Los Angeles pushed to tie the game, but to no avail. With 30 seconds left in the final frame, Crosby iced the gam,e making it 4-2 with an empty net goal.

Result: Penguins Win 4-2

Another disappointing loss. After a first period that looked like the Kings might run away with the game, the Penguins competed hard and battled back to steal two points. This loss is due to horrendous special teams and the lack of big saves. Hopefully, those issues can be chalked up to the absence of Kopitar and Kuemper. If not, those issues need to be figured out as soon as possible.

The Kings (1-3-1) will have their hands full next game as they face the Carolina Hurricanes (4-0-0) on Saturday at 6:00 p.m. PT, 9:00 p.m. ET.