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Former Avalanche Cup Champion Finally Looks Like Himself Again — But It Still Wasn’t Enough

The Los Angeles Kings kicked off their 2026-27 season with a tough 2-1 home loss to the Florida Panthers, marking their second defeat in as many games under new head coach Peter Laviolette. Despite a strong performance from goaltender Darcy Kuemper, who turned aside 26 of 28 shots, the Kings struggled with offensive production and special teams, failing to capitalize on key opportunities.

The Panthers’ Matthew Tkachuk sealed the win with a third-period goal, while Florida’s Brad Marchand left the game early after suffering a leg injury following a hit from Kings defenseman Brandt Clarke. The loss drops Los Angeles to 0-2-1 on the season, highlighting persistent challenges in power-play execution and penalty-kill efficiency that have plagued the team despite the addition of star forward Artemi Panarin.

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