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LAK

Los Angeles Kings

0-2-1

VGK

Vegas Golden Knights

4-1-0

Has last change

Saturday, October 10

10:00 PM ET · T-Mobile Arena

The short version

Before the game

Stone’s favourite opponent

The Golden Knights have won three straight. The Kings haven’t won in three. Vegas has controlled the play far better over recent games and has home ice. Los Angeles’s only real way in is keeping dangerous shots away, and they would need a near-perfect night.

The Golden Knights have won three straight. The Kings haven’t won in three. Vegas has controlled the play far better over recent games and has home ice. Los Angeles could still pull it off if they keep dangerous shots away, but they might need a miracle.

The Golden Knights and the Kings sit at opposite ends for shots from defensemen.

Who to watch

  • Owns themMark Stone has a point in ten straight games against Los Angeles, and 17 points in his last ten against them.
  • Owns themArtemi Panarin has a point in five straight games against Vegas.
  • Hot streakJack Eichel has a point in every game this season.
  • Hot streakVictor Olofsson has a point in every game this season.

  1. The Golden Knights’ defense joins the attack; the Kings’ stays home

    The Golden Knights are near the top of the league for shots from defensemen, at the active D end; the Kings are the league’s worst, at the forward-led end. Expect that gap to show.

    The call The Golden Knights’ defensemen take a bigger share of the team’s shot attempts than the Kings’.

    Shots from defensemen: Vegas 6th, Los Angeles 32nd

    Style fingerprint · this season blended with last · 3 and 5 games this season

  2. One power play bites, one doesn’t

    On the power play, Vegas is one of the league’s best and Los Angeles is near the bottom of the league. That’s about as far apart as two teams get.

    The call The Golden Knights’ power play creates more per 60 than the Kings’.

    Power play: Vegas 2nd, Los Angeles 25th

    Style fingerprint · this season blended with last · 3 and 5 games this season

These calls are written by fixed rules from the numbers below, and saved as they stand at puck drop. After the game, each one will be checked against what happened.

Style fingerprints

How Los Angeles and Vegas play, trait by trait, on the same scales.

Los Angeles KingsVegas Golden KnightsLeague averageLikely range

Each scale runs from the league’s lowest team on the left to its highest on the right. Numbers blend last season with the 3 and 5 games played so far; traits that take longer to settle lean more on last season.

This season only: 3 games for Los Angeles, 5 for Vegas. Expect these to swing a lot, which is why the likely ranges are so wide.

The biggest differences

Show all 18 traitsHide the full set

Offense

  • Shot volume
    SelectiveRelentless

    • Los Angeles: 57.9 shot attempts per 6012th of 32

      Los Angeles: 54.2 shot attempts per 6020th of 32

    • Vegas: 61.2 shot attempts per 607th of 32

      Vegas: 63.9 shot attempts per 607th of 32

  • Shot quality
    HopefulDangerous

    • Los Angeles: a 5.8% chance of scoring on the average shot31st of 32

      Los Angeles: a 5.8% chance of scoring on the average shot23rd of 32

    • Vegas: a 6.6% chance of scoring on the average shot11th of 32

      Vegas: a 6.7% chance of scoring on the average shot16th of 32

  • Second chances
    One-and-doneCrashers

    • Los Angeles: 10.0% of chances come from rebounds27th of 32

      Los Angeles: 9.3% of chances come from rebounds17th of 32

    • Vegas: 10.3% of chances come from rebounds13th of 32

      Vegas: 16.6% of chances come from rebounds6th of 32

  • Off-turnover offense
    PatientOpportunist

    • Los Angeles: 6.6% of chances come right after a turnover32nd of 32

      Los Angeles: 12.5% of chances come right after a turnover6th of 32

    • Vegas: 6.7% of chances come right after a turnover31st of 32

      Vegas: 4.6% of chances come right after a turnover24th of 32

  • Shots from defensemen
    Forward-ledActive D

    • Los Angeles: 29.4% of shot attempts come from defensemen32nd of 32

      Los Angeles: 28.1% of shot attempts come from defensemen32nd of 32

    • Vegas: 36.2% of shot attempts come from defensemen6th of 32

      Vegas: 36.4% of shot attempts come from defensemen8th of 32

  • Shots from in close
    From distanceIn close

    • Los Angeles: 30.3% of shots come from within 20 feet20th of 32

      Los Angeles: 33.0% of shots come from within 20 feet15th of 32

    • Vegas: 30.9% of shots come from within 20 feet13th of 32

      Vegas: 31.5% of shots come from within 20 feet19th of 32

Defense

  • Shot suppression
    PorousStingy

    • Los Angeles: 56.1 shot attempts allowed per 6016th of 32

      Los Angeles: 55.6 shot attempts allowed per 6017th of 32

    • Vegas: 51.5 shot attempts allowed per 603rd of 32

      Vegas: 47.6 shot attempts allowed per 604th of 32

  • Quality allowed
    ExposedSheltered

    • Los Angeles: a 5.9% chance of scoring on the average shot against3rd of 32

      Los Angeles: a 5.6% chance of scoring on the average shot against3rd of 32

    • Vegas: a 6.0% chance of scoring on the average shot against5th of 32

      Vegas: a 6.2% chance of scoring on the average shot against13th of 32

  • Breakdowns avoided
    Fire drillComposed

    • Los Angeles: 0.40 defensive breakdowns per 6012th of 32

      Los Angeles: 0.44 defensive breakdowns per 6017th of 32

    • Vegas: 0.38 defensive breakdowns per 609th of 32

      Vegas: 0.00 defensive breakdowns per 601st of 32

  • Goaltending
    SieveWall

    • Los Angeles: +0.03 goals saved above expected per 6029th of 32

      Los Angeles: −2.40 goals saved above expected per 6032nd of 32

    • Vegas: +0.03 goals saved above expected per 6030th of 32

      Vegas: −0.35 goals saved above expected per 6022nd of 32

Tempo and edge

  • Pace
    SlogTrack meet

    • Los Angeles: 81.7 shots per 60, both teams combined15th of 32

      Los Angeles: 79.2 shots per 60, both teams combined18th of 32

    • Vegas: 79.3 shots per 60, both teams combined25th of 32

      Vegas: 79.3 shots per 60, both teams combined17th of 32

  • Forecheck pressure
    PassiveHounding

    • Los Angeles: forecheck score 106 (100 is league average)10th of 32Los Angeles: 23.2 forecheck plays recorded per 6012th of 32

      Los Angeles: forecheck score 117 (100 is league average)8th of 32Los Angeles: 27.3 forecheck plays recorded per 609th of 32

    • Vegas: forecheck score 86 (100 is league average)28th of 32Vegas: 19.2 forecheck plays recorded per 6028th of 32

      Vegas: forecheck score 81 (100 is league average)26th of 32Vegas: 19.4 forecheck plays recorded per 6028th of 32

  • Physicality
    FinesseBruising

    • Los Angeles: hit score 85 (100 is league average)26th of 32Los Angeles: 21.9 hits recorded per 6029th of 32

      Los Angeles: hit score 75 (100 is league average)27th of 32Los Angeles: 20.2 hits recorded per 6030th of 32

    • Vegas: hit score 96 (100 is league average)20th of 32Vegas: 25.4 hits recorded per 6022nd of 32

      Vegas: hit score 91 (100 is league average)20th of 32Vegas: 26.3 hits recorded per 6020th of 32

  • Depth
    Top-heavyDeep

    • Los Angeles: 40.1% of forward ice time at 5-on-5 goes to the bottom six32nd of 32

      Los Angeles: 39.2% of forward ice time at 5-on-5 goes to the bottom six32nd of 32

    • Vegas: 42.1% of forward ice time at 5-on-5 goes to the bottom six16th of 32

      Vegas: 41.5% of forward ice time at 5-on-5 goes to the bottom six20th of 32

Special teams

  • Power play
    HarmlessLethal

    • Los Angeles: 7.0 expected goals per 60 on the power play25th of 32

      Los Angeles: 6.4 expected goals per 60 on the power play21st of 32

    • Vegas: 9.0 expected goals per 60 on the power play2nd of 32

      Vegas: 10.5 expected goals per 60 on the power play1st of 32

  • Penalty kill
    LeakyAirtight

    • Los Angeles: 7.3 expected goals allowed per 60 shorthanded9th of 32

      Los Angeles: 7.4 expected goals allowed per 60 shorthanded19th of 32

    • Vegas: 6.5 expected goals allowed per 60 shorthanded1st of 32

      Vegas: 4.0 expected goals allowed per 60 shorthanded2nd of 32

  • Power kill
    BunkeredPredatory

    • Los Angeles: 1.0 expected goals created per 60 shorthanded9th of 32

      Los Angeles: 2.3 expected goals created per 60 shorthanded3rd of 32

    • Vegas: 0.9 expected goals created per 60 shorthanded15th of 32

      Vegas: 0.8 expected goals created per 60 shorthanded17th of 32

  • Discipline
    RecklessClean

    • Los Angeles: 0.06 more penalties taken than drawn per 6021st of 32

      Los Angeles: 0.33 more penalties taken than drawn per 6022nd of 32

    • Vegas: 0.30 more penalties drawn than taken per 601st of 32

      Vegas: 1.18 more penalties drawn than taken per 603rd of 32

Forecheck pressure and physicality are arena-adjusted scores; switch “Hits and takeaways” to Raw in the settings to see the numbers as recorded. How the arena adjustment works.

Lines and deployment

Vegas is at home, so their coach changes last and chooses who plays against whom.

How good, against the same line or pair on other teamsHow much, low to high (not good or bad)

Lines and pairs are numbered by 5-on-5 ice time together over each team’s last 10 games (3 and 5 so far), with each older game counting half as much as the one after it, so the latest combinations come first. With so few games, each group’s results are pulled toward the average for its line number.

Los Angeles Kings

Vegas Golden Knights

Worth knowing

  • Los Angeles M. Zuccarello is out week to week, reported after he played in their last game. He is a top-six forward.
  • Vegas R. Andersson is no longer killing penalties: 1% of the team’s shorthanded time in 5 games, down from 48% last season.

Who Vegas is likely to send against whom

Each strip shows how one Vegas group’s 5-on-5 time at home has been split across opponents’ four forward lines. Tonight those lines are Los Angeles’s, named in each box.

Los Angeles’s lines tonightL1 Kempe · Panarin · ByfieldL2 Zuccarello · Turcotte · LaferriereL3 Haula · Armia · MooreL4 –

Vegas forward lines against Los Angeles forward lines

  • L1Stone · Barbashev · EichelLAK L121%LAK L232%LAK L320%LAK L427%
  • L2Karlsson · Marner · HowdenLAK L140%LAK L230%LAK L318%LAK L413%
  • L3Dowd · Gatcomb · BowmanLAK L169%LAK L212%LAK L311%LAK L48%
  • L4Hertl · Lavoie · ConnellyLAK L129%LAK L238%LAK L327%LAK L46%

Vegas defense pairs against Los Angeles forward lines

  • P1McNabb · TheodoreLAK L139%LAK L221%LAK L324%LAK L416%
  • P2Hanifin · LauzonLAK L143%LAK L231%LAK L312%LAK L415%
  • P3Andersson · WotherspoonLAK L138%LAK L230%LAK L320%LAK L412%

Based on 3 Vegas home games this season, so treat it as a habit forming, not a certainty. Faded rows have under ten minutes. With no line matching, each group would face an opposing line about as often as that line is on the ice; a number well above that means the coach is sending that group out against it on purpose.

Special teams

Each power play set against the penalty killers it will face.

Show

Los Angeles power play against Vegas penalty kill

  • Los Angeles power play

    7.0 expected goals per 60 · 25th of 32

  • Vegas penalty kill

    6.5 expected goals allowed per 60 · 1st of 32

Los Angeles power play

PP170% of the time

Creates 7.3 expected goals per 60

  • B. ClarkeQuarterback
  • A. Panarinboth unitsDistributor
  • Q. Byfield
  • A. KempeTrigger
  • M. Zuccarello

PP230% of the time

Creates 6.4 expected goals per 60

  • D. DoughtyQuarterback
  • A. Panarinboth unitsDistributor
  • A. Turcotte
  • A. LaferriereTrigger
  • E. Haula

 

Where Los Angeles’s last 140 power-play shots came from. Bigger dots are more dangerous.

Vegas penalty kill

Starts the kill

Second wave

Spot duty

Units and penalty-kill roles use each team’s last 10 games; power-play role tags use this season and last, counting only games with the player’s current team; the map shows the last 140 power-play shots. Point at a power-play name to see his shots on the map.

Goaltending

Is each goalie stopping more than he should, and what is his team asking him to face?

Showagainst

D. Kuemper49 starts · 1293 shots, this season and last

−6.8 goals saved above expected

Low-danger save %
.969 635 shots
Medium-danger save %
.857 476 shots
High-danger save %
.692 182 shots
Shots faced per 60
25.8
Defensive breakdowns per 60
0.36
Quality starts
51%

Helping, or hung out to dry?

System and goalie both goodGoalie bailing them outGoalie giving back what the system earnsTrouble everywhereTeam allows fewer chances ← → more chancesD. KuemperA. ForsbergC. HartA. Hill

C. Hart19 starts · 495 shots, this season and last

−2.6 goals saved above expected

Low-danger save %
.961 256 shots
Medium-danger save %
.870 185 shots
High-danger save %
.630 54 shots
Shots faced per 60
24.8
Defensive breakdowns per 60
0.2
Quality starts
63%
Show the full goalie comparisonHide the full goalie comparison
  • Stopping more than expected
    SieveWall
    • D. Kuemper: −6.8 goals saved above expected in 49 starts
    • C. Hart: −2.6 goals saved above expected in 19 starts
  • How busy he is
    QuietUnder siege
    • D. Kuemper: 25.8 shots faced per 60
    • C. Hart: 24.8 shots faced per 60
  • How dangerous the shots are
    ShelteredExposed
    • D. Kuemper: the average shot he faces has a 7.0% chance of going in
    • C. Hart: the average shot he faces has a 6.9% chance of going in
  • Breakdowns in front of him
    RareConstant
    • D. Kuemper: 0.36 defensive breakdowns in front of him per 60
    • C. Hart: 0.2 defensive breakdowns in front of him per 60
  • Waiting between shots
    Steady workLong waits
    • D. Kuemper: a typical wait of 77 seconds between shots
    • C. Hart: a typical wait of 73 seconds between shots
  • Night-to-night steadiness
    StreakySteady
    • D. Kuemper: a quality start 51% of the time
    • C. Hart: a quality start 63% of the time

D. Kuemper, night to night: goals saved above expected in each start

−3 (bad night)0+3 (stole it)

C. Hart, night to night: goals saved above expected in each start

−3 (bad night)0+3 (stole it)

D. Kuemper2 starts · 59 shots, this season

−3.9 goals saved above expected

Low-danger save %
.969 32 shots
Medium-danger save %
.667 18 shots
High-danger save %
.667 9 shots
Shots faced per 60
30.2
Defensive breakdowns per 60
0.51
Quality starts
50%

Helping, or hung out to dry?

System and goalie both goodGoalie bailing them outGoalie giving back what the system earnsTrouble everywhereTeam allows fewer chances ← → more chancesD. KuemperA. ForsbergC. HartA. Hill

C. Hart3 starts · 73 shots, this season

−0.9 goals saved above expected

Low-danger save %
1.000 39 shots
Medium-danger save %
.741 27 shots
High-danger save %
.857 7 shots
Shots faced per 60
24.7
Defensive breakdowns per 60
0
Quality starts
67%
Show the full goalie comparisonHide the full goalie comparison
  • Stopping more than expected
    SieveWall
    • D. Kuemper: −3.9 goals saved above expected in 2 starts
    • C. Hart: −0.9 goals saved above expected in 3 starts
  • How busy he is
    QuietUnder siege
    • D. Kuemper: 30.2 shots faced per 60
    • C. Hart: 24.7 shots faced per 60
  • How dangerous the shots are
    ShelteredExposed
    • D. Kuemper: the average shot he faces has a 7.5% chance of going in
    • C. Hart: the average shot he faces has a 6.7% chance of going in
  • Breakdowns in front of him
    RareConstant
    • D. Kuemper: 0.51 defensive breakdowns in front of him per 60
    • C. Hart: 0 defensive breakdowns in front of him per 60
  • Waiting between shots
    Steady workLong waits
    • D. Kuemper: a typical wait of 72 seconds between shots
    • C. Hart: a typical wait of 75 seconds between shots
  • Night-to-night steadiness
    StreakySteady
    • D. Kuemper: a quality start 50% of the time
    • C. Hart: a quality start 67% of the time

D. Kuemper, night to night: goals saved above expected in each start

−3 (bad night)0+3 (stole it)

C. Hart, night to night: goals saved above expected in each start

−3 (bad night)0+3 (stole it)

The menus list every goalie on each team, busiest this season first; the site does not yet know who will start. Expected-goal models can’t see passes before a shot, so a goalie whose team gives up many cross-ice passes looks worse here than he really is.

Where the goals come from

How each team’s goals are scored, or allowed, against the league average.

Show goals
Los AngelesVegasLeague average
  • Everyday even-strength play61.5%52.1%
  • Power play17.1%21.4%
  • Rebound4.7%9.7%
  • Empty net4.3%4.7%
  • Off a turnover3.8%4.2%
  • Goalie pulled4.3%3.6%
  • Shorthanded3.4%3.1%
  • Off a faceoff win0.9%1.1%

234 Los Angeles goals and 359 Vegas goals scored this season and last. Each row has its own scale.

  • Everyday even-strength play33.3%47.4%
  • Power play22.2%26.3%
  • Rebound0%10.5%
  • Empty net0%5.3%
  • Off a turnover11.1%5.3%
  • Goalie pulled11.1%0%
  • Shorthanded22.2%5.3%
  • Off a faceoff win0%0%

9 Los Angeles goals and 19 Vegas goals scored this season. Each row has its own scale.

These mixes are mostly luck: over three seasons, teams’ goals came from much the same places, and most of the differences here didn’t last. Each team page shows how much luck alone can move each row.

Data notes

Team pages: Los Angeles Kings · Vegas Golden Knights