2/5 Preview – Kings Talk Panarin Impact + “Unacceptable” Start Yesterday, PP Success, Lineup Thoughts

TODAY’S MATCHUP: We’ve reached the final game before some time off, another divisional showdown, as the Kings visit the Vegas Golden Knights to conclude their pre-Olympic slate.

HEAD-TO-HEAD: Forwards Andrei Kuzmenko and Kevin Fiala each have three points this season against Vegas. Defenseman Brandt Clarke has scored a goal in both games against the Golden Knights this season, with both goals tying the game late in the third period to force games into overtime. Clarke is a +4 over those two games this season and has seven points (3-4-7) in six career games played against Vegas, his highest total against any one opponent.

KINGS VITALS: The Kings did not hold a morning skate today, considering the back-to-back situation.

Look for goaltender Anton Forsberg to get the start tonight in the final game before the break. Forsberg earned his first victory as a member of the Kings organization in this building back in October, as he made 30 saves in a 6-5 shootout victory, evening his lifetime record at 2-2-0 against the Golden Knights.

For reference, here is how the Kings lined up last night at home against Seattle –

Tonight’s @LAKings Line Rushes –

Moore – Kopitar – Armia
Perry – Laferriere – Kempe
Fiala – Byfield – Kuzmenko
Malott – Helenius – Ward

Dumoulin – Doughty
Edmundson – Clarke
Moverare – Ceci

Kuemper
Forsberg

— Zach Dooley (@DooleyLAK) February 5, 2026

As noted yesterday, newly acquired forward Artemi Panarin will not play tonight and will join the team coming out of the break. More on that HERE from Kings General Manager Ken Holland.

Personally, not expecting any lineup changes today but it wouldn’t be shocking to see forward Warren Foegele back in the lineup tonight after a sluggish showing from the Kings yesterday. Defenseman Joe Hicketts is also on the trip and is an option to play. A couple thoughts on that below.

GOLDEN KNIGHTS VITALS: Vegas snapped a five-game losing streak yesterday with a 5-2 victory on home ice over the Vancouver Canucks.

Per Hannah Kirkell of Vegas Hockey Now, here’s how the Golden Knights lined up yesterday against Vancouver –

Barbashev—Eichel—Holtz
Dorofeyev—Marner—Stone
Smith—Hertl—Kolesar
Reinhardt—Uchacz—Bowman

Lauzon—Theodore
Hanifin—Andersson
Hutton—Korczak

Schmid

— Hannah Kirkell (@h_kirk6) February 5, 2026

Vegas is without defenseman Brayden McNabb, as well as forwards William Karlsson, Brandon Saad and Brett Howden due to injury. Forward Pavel Dorofeyev was the star player for Vegas when these teams last met at T-Mobile Arena, as he recorded his third career NHL hat trick in the eventual 6-5 Kings victory. Dorofeyev has scored six goals in six games played against the Kings over the last two seasons, leading all players around the league in that span.

Storyline Of The Day – Not Just Yet……But The Impact Is Felt
Won’t be tonight for forward Artemi Panarin, as cool as that could have been tonight in Vegas. Imagine he came into Las Vegas, hasn’t played in 10 days, and led the Kings to a win? Would’ve been electric. But I get it.

Doesn’t mean that the Kings aren’t excited about the move, though, even if they have to wait a bit to get him on board.

Take Andrei Kuzmenko for example.

Both players came from SKA St. Petersburg in the KHL, albeit at different times, before beginning their NHL careers. They both missed each other at international tournaments also, so I don’t believe they’ve ever played together. Still, Kuzmenko understands the player his team just acquired. He understands the caliber of player that Panarin is as well as anybody and he was very excited to add him into the mix, both as a player and as a person.

“He’s a superstar in this league, he’s a really good player and a really good human,” Kuzmenko said. “I liked it, when I saw this news, I’m happy, because this is a really good guy and a big help for us, on the power play and in the offensive zone. It’s great for us.”

Everyone understands where the Kings are at right now – the outside looking in.

Regardless of what happens tonight, the Kings will not enter the break in a playoff spot. Even with a victory, they’d be a point shy, after missing a big opportunity yesterday against Seattle. Theme of the season, in many ways. After tonight, there are 20 days between games for the Olympic break but once the Kings come back, it’s a sprint to the finish, with fewer than 30 games remaining.

For the Kings, perhaps Panarin can be the shot of adrenaline they’ve needed to finally find that stretch of wins down the stretch.

“I think you could look at it that way, you bring in one of the premier players in the league, it’s always a boost to your morale, it’s a boost to your confidence,” defenseman Brandt Clarke said. “The morale is kind of down right now, but to have him on the horizon and the hunt for the playoffs on the horizon, it’s exciting times and that’s where we’re at.”

Between the BP and AA eras, however, the Kings play one more game tonight in Nevada.

Despite all that has gone wrong this season, the Kings are still just a stone’s throw from the division lead, sitting six points behind Vegas entering tonight’s game. An opportunity to bring that number down tonight.

“It’s big for us, it’s not a secret he’s a big player and we need a big player now,” Kuzmenko added. “I hope, after this trade, after Artemi plays with us, we get a little bit better. For us, every game is so important. Before break, we have one game against Vegas, which is so important for us. We need a good win against Vegas.”

3 To Watch For –
– Start feels very important tonight.

Clarke called the start last night “unacceptable” and it was. I felt the Kings lost the game in the first period. Just a very sluggish showing off the opening puck drop and despite an early power-play goal, they just didn’t seem to have much early.

I thought Kuzmenko’s second power-play goal got things going a bit. From there on, Kings seemed to dial it in a bit, but it’s hard to spot a team three in the first period. Especially when you’re a team that doesn’t really play to outscore teams. The lowest scoring first period team entering last night’s game was Seattle. After scoring three goals? It’s the Kings, with 34 first-period goals this season. They also rank second in goals against, with 38, but you just know a good start from this team when you see it, even if it’s 0-0. Last night was not that. Has to be improved upon tonight.

Jim Hiller was asked post game if he buys into the notion of a first game back off a long trip being a difficult one. He didn’t take the excuse and neither did the players in the room. Frankly, when you’re where the Kings are in the standings, excuse or not, it doesn’t much matter. Kings are up against it most nights and have to battle through things like that. Was a really disappointing way to see last night’s game begin, with a real opportunity at home to collect two points.

– One positive from last night’s game was the power play.

The Kings had next to nothing at 5-on-5 for the better part of two periods but the power play did not suffer as a result. Sometimes, when you’re not connected 5-on-5, the power play looks equally disjointed. Definitely was not the case yesterday. I thought that unit moved the puck around extremely well and they scored twice, with Kuzmenko burying both goals. He’s quietly up to eight power-play goals this season, on a team where no other player has more than three. Since he’s gone back with the top unit, he’s been one of the straws that stirs the drink and he seemed to only grow in confidence as the night went on.

The Kings could’ve used one more, as they didn’t convert on their third or fourth chances, but a really, a three power-play goal kind of game is a bit of a Hail Mary. Kings needed one at even strength and didn’t get it. They actually nearly did get that third on the power play anyways, as Kempe had the puck in the net, but it was immediately ruled off, as forward Corey Perry worked the puck free from under the glove of Seattle goaltender Joey Daccord.

In tonight’s game, special teams is even more paramount. Vegas is one of two teams in the NHL to rank in the Top-10 in both PP and PK percentages. Los Angeles is one of three teams in the Bottom-10 in both metrics and they did allow two power-play goals last night as well. If the start is priority one, special teams is probably right up with it.

– Lastly, while I am not expecting any lineup changes, I wouldn’t be shocked if forward Warren Foegele checked back into the lineup.

The Kings just did not play very well last night and the fourth line was on the negative side of the ledger for one of the first times since they were put togethre. Not that one in that direction means someone should come out and I don’t know if I’d make a change or not, but one to keep in mind.

Foegele played really well in his first game coming off a healthy scratch last month in Detroit but now he’s sat out twice since Anze Kopitar returned from injury. He probably deserves to come back in and respond again, but if it’s not in place of a player on the fourth line, I’m just not sure where that place is. Might be one where, coming out of the break, once Panarin joins the team, the Kings reset their forwards and take a new approach, which could include Foegele. So, if you want my best guess, I’d say no changes tonight but several when these teams meet on February 25.

We’ll hear from Jim Hiller about 75 minutes before puck drop and will get more of a confirmation then.

One more game before the break, Insiders! Big divisional test in Vegas against the current division leaders.