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Kings give up late goal to Panthers, lose their home opener to remain winless

The Los Angeles Kings kicked off their 60th-anniversary season with a disappointing home opener, falling 2-1 to the Florida Panthers at Crypto.com Arena. The loss marked their third consecutive defeat, a streak not seen since 2020, and left the Kings winless under new head coach Peter Laviolette, who became the first Kings coach since Robbie Ftorek in 1987 to start 0-2-1.

The Panthers capitalized on a late goal by Matthew Tkachuk, who capitalized on a turnover by Brandt Clarke with 8:40 left in the game, after taking the lead in the second period thanks to Seth Jones’ breakaway. The Kings had briefly led early in the game on Alex Laferrière’s first goal of the season, but Florida’s defensive play and a pair of power-play opportunities squandered by Los Angeles turned the tide.

The game also saw a concerning injury to Panthers forward Brad Marchand, who left with a suspected knee issue after a high-stick collision with Clarke and did not return. Meanwhile, the Kings honored their legacy with a new Hall of Fame display before the game, though the team’s struggles on the ice overshadowed the celebration.

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Matthew Tkachuk scores, Brad Marchand injured in Panthers' 2-1 win over Kings