3/22 Preview – Shut Games, Shut Defeats + Lineup Modifications Anticipated, LAK/UTA History, FDSN So-Cal Toevening

TODAY’S MATCHUP: Following two missed alternatives at residence, the Kings hit the highway to start out a three-game journey, starting this night in opposition to the Utah Mammoth.

HEAD-TO-HEAD: Forward Joel Armia scored two objectives when these groups met in Utah earlier this season to steer the Kings to a 4-2 victory over the Mammoth. Forward Adrian Kempe additionally collected a number of factors in that recreation, as he scored a purpose and added an help. Kempe has 5 factors (2-3-5) in 4 profession video games versus the Mammoth.

KINGS VITALS: With the back-to-back and flight, the Kings didn’t maintain a morning skate at this time in Utah.

After Anton Forsberg received the beginning yesterday at residence, would count on to see goaltender Darcy Kuemper between the pipes tonight at Delta Center. Kuemper brings with him a 4-0-0 lifetime document in opposition to Utah, delivering a .914 save proportion and a 2.25 goals-against common in these 4 begins.

Anticipating a few adjustments for the Kings tonight, however right here is final recreation’s Kings lineup under for reference –

Tonight’s @LAKings Line Rushes –

Panarin – Kopitar – Kempe
Moore – Byfield – Laferriere
Turcotte – Laughton – Wright
Malott – Helenius – Ward

Anderson – Doughty
Edmundson – Clarke
Dumoulin – Ceci

Kuemper
Forsberg

Kempe takes rushes, will see if he’s good to go.

— Zach Dooley (@DooleyLAK) March 20, 2026

After yesterday’s loss in opposition to Buffalo, Interim Head Coach D.J. Smith spoke about seeking to put Alex Turcotte and Mathieu Joseph into the lineup tonight in Utah. Unsure if each will play, or the place, however search for the potential of a few adjustments for the Kings this night. Defenseman Jacob Moverare can be on the journey and able to go ought to the Kings make a change on the blueline.

MAMMOTH VITALS: Utah enters tonight’s recreation with a five-point cushion on the second wild-card spot within the Western Conference, because it continues to maneuver in direction of securing the primary playoff berth in franchise historical past.

Per the Mammoth crew account, right here’s how tonight’s hosts lined up final day out versus Anaheim –

Friday evening lineup ⬇️ pic.twitter.com/n28a3jc7nR

— Utah Mammoth (@utahmammoth) March 21, 2026

Forward Clayton Keller had a multi-point recreation within the first assembly of the season, as he collected a purpose and an help again in December. Keller leads his crew in assists (45) and factors (67) this season up to now and is on tempo for his fourth consecutive season with at the least 75 factors. Former Kings defenseman Sean Durzi will play tonight in opposition to his former crew,

Storyline Of The Day – Are They Who We Thought They Were
Under D.J. Smith, the Kings have performed ten video games. Eight of these 10 video games have been tied within the third interval, whereas the opposite two have been multi-goal victories. The Kings have solely gained two of these eight video games, with a 2-4-2 document in these eight contests. You clearly don’t want me to elucidate that it’s not a brand new development. If you’d just like the numbers although…….

The Kings have performed 39 one-goal video games this season out of the 69 they’ve performed in whole, which leaves 30 video games determined by a couple of purpose.

By my calculations, of the 30 video games that weren’t one-goal video games, eight of these video games have been tied sooner or later within the third interval, together with yesterday’s defeat in opposition to Buffalo. An extra 11 video games have been one-goal video games sooner or later through the third interval. If my numbers are right, that makes 58 of 69 video games that have been inside one purpose within the third interval this season.

I did the maths by hand, so it may very well be a recreation or two off in both course, however I feel you get the purpose – mainly each single evening, the sport is up for grabs through the third interval.

Odds may say you win half of these video games. Record in one-goal video games is fickle, so they are saying, however successful half of 58 video games performed could be 29 wins, which is yet one more than the Kings have this season and that doesn’t consider a 5-6-0 document within the video games that fall outdoors of that description, which might imply an extra 5 wins. Last evening was one other within the bunch. The Kings skated with the NHL’s hottest crew, the most effective within the league general. The Sabres are excellent and the sport was aggressive all through. The Kings deserved to be tied within the third interval, which is clearly a well-known place for this membership.

Once once more, they got here up quick, which has additionally been a well-known place for the membership this season. Some groups discover methods to win video games and others discover methods to lose them. Last season’s Kings crew discovered methods to win video games. This crew, 69 video games in, is discovering artistic methods to lose them.

At some level, you run out of how to speak about these sorts of conditions. Not each recreation is identical. Some of these 58 video games have been comeback efforts that fell quick. Others leads that weren’t held. Couple of backdoor covers too. But the widespread denominator is that the Kings have constantly performed effectively sufficient to place themselves in positions to win video games this season. They have additionally constantly discovered methods to not win these video games. It is the distinction between some extent outdoors a playoff spot as of at this time and, frankly, possibly even a spot atop the Pacific Division. Instead, the Kings lead the league in time beyond regulation defeats. The 39 one-goal video games they’ve performed are tied with the Dallas Stars for the NHL lead. Dallas has factors in 35 of these video games, in comparison with 33 for the Kings. Very shut. The distinction is that the Stars have 24 one-goal wins, tied for second within the NHL.

Makes me factor of that Dennis Green post-game rant. they’re who we thought they have been. Remember that one?

Pretty epic. They used to play it on Sports Center on a regular basis after I was rising up.

I used to be fascinated with that yesterday, after the Kings noticed yet one more tight recreation go the opposite approach. The Kings should not a nasty crew. You don’t end up with the possibility to win nearly each evening for those who’re a nasty crew. They haven’t proven themselves to be a superb crew both, although. Good groups win extra of these video games than the Kings have.

There is, by some means, nonetheless greater than sufficient time to get into the playoffs. As Connor McDavid put it yesterday, there are plenty of groups lucky to play on this division, in a “pillow fight” for the playoffs. The Kings will proceed to have alternatives to win video games within the third interval. 13 video games remaining. History suggests they’ll possible have, what, 10 or 11 of these alternatives down the stretch?

Until these video games begin going the opposite approach, they’re who we thought they have been. 13 video games left to point out one thing on the contrary.

3 To Watch For –
– Interim Head Coach D.J. Smith went out of his strategy to observe that he may make a few lineup adjustments up entrance this night.

“We’re traveling and it’s a back-to-back, so I’ll look to put some new guys in tomorrow and have some fresh guys in. I’ve got Turc and Jo, and we’ve got to win ourselves a game.”

Snith has been fairly forthcoming in his pre-game media availabilities and we’ll hear from him at Delta Center in a while at this time on who these gamers may go in for, assuming everybody got here by way of the Buffalo recreation wholesome sufficient to go. So, assuming we should always find out about his selections earlier than the sport.

Looking on the backside six, the fourth line was on the ice for a purpose in opposition to versus the Sabres, with a chance to clear the puck out of the zone in opposition to Buffalo’s high line. I don’t assume one purpose in opposition to, versus Tage Thompson, is sufficient to advantage popping out essentially, but it surely could be the primary time he seems to be in that space.

With the third line, Joel Armia simply returned from harm, so it’s doable the Kings don’t need him going back-to-back. Jared Wright may very well be an possibility as effectively, although I believed he had considered one of his greatest video games yesterday.

Remains to be seen. Turcotte and Joseph are extra velocity centered than conventional fourth-line gamers, so these two guys provide a unique look to the group. So, if the Kings need to change the look of their backside six, they might insert some velocity with these two gamers to shake issues up a bit.

No skate at this time, so we wait till nearer to puck drop to know for positive.

– Two stats within the Kings favor this night.

Los Angeles and Utah have squared off twice for the reason that Mammoth entered the NHL. The Kings have gained all 4 video games, together with two performed right here at Delta Center. Most lately, the Kings gained 4-2 on this constructing again in December, one of many extra full 60-minute efforts from the crew this season .

Additionally, the Kings enter tonight’s recreation with the sixth-most away factors this season. Los Angeles has collected 44 of its 71 factors this season away from residence. That equates to 62 p.c of their factors on the season, the second-highest proportion within the NHL behind solely the New York Rangers.

– Lastly, a reminder for these watching that tonight’s recreation is on FanDuel Sports Network So-Cal, not FanDuel Sports Network West.

For those that have subscribed straight by way of FanDuel and watch on their web site or their app, I’ve confirmed that these subscriptions will nonetheless work as they all the time have. It ought to be no adjustments to that viewing sample.

For these watching by way of a cable or tv bundle, FanDuel Sports Network SoCal is accessible on channel #693 on DirecTV and channel #41 on Spectrum. Hopefully nothing that’s disruptive for these attempting to look at within the LA market.

Kings and Mammoth, as a three-game roadtrip begins this night for the Kings in Utah. Big two factors on the road at Delta Center.