Over the summer, the Kings made a ton of changes. A new coaching staff was brought in, a new captain was named, and several spots on the roster experienced turnover. The hope was that nearing the 20-game mark of the regular season under a new system, the group would find their footing and start to take off.

Fast forward to tonight and things have not gone according to plan. Los Angeles has played 15 games, and heading into puck drop vs. Nashville tonight, there are still more questions than answers. It’s not just uncertainty surrounding the team’s slow start, but specifically what’s causing such inconsistent play on the ice, despite a veteran roster.

Some wonder why the Kings aren’t scoring enough goals to win games on a nightly basis — a frequent problem in recent years. Other issues revolve around special teams, which for a second consecutive season are near the league basement. These questions require answers, and now as time ticks down to Thanksgiving later this month, they’ll only get louder.

Perhaps making things even more interesting, Mats Zuccarello will play tonight after being activated from injured reserve, and Kevin Fiala’s return is imminent. This should give the team a boost, but is it fair to rest the season’s hopes on Fiala? The superstar winger hasn’t played in a game since the Olympics, where he suffered a gruesome lower-body injury. Whether or not his return will be enough to give this team a jolt is yet to be determined. More likely, his greatest impact will come a little later down the road, when he’s back into a regular rhythm.

Zuccarello’s ultimate contribution forecast is still uncertain. His first season in a Kings sweater hasn’t really gotten underway yet. Instead, it’s been a series of starts and stops ever since training camp. Thus, how he’ll help is more of a mystery at the moment.

One thing remains true, and that is coach Peter Laviolette needs more from the majority of his lineup. LA’s new bench boss has received little depth scoring, so adding Fiala and Zuccarello anywhere in the middle-6 could allow other guys to slide into positions where they’re more comfortable. And hopefully more productive.

Several lineup changes are expected tonight, as detailed in yesterday’s notes from practice.

In addition, Anton Forsberg will start in net.

Anton Forsberg first off the ice at practice. He’s the projected starter tonight against Nashville #GoKingsGo

— Alexander Legget (@LeggetNHL) November 10, 2026

Morning Skate Quotes

Laviolette on tonight’s game:

We don’t have the wiggle room for a bad start. We just don’t. So we’ve got to make sure we’re ready to play. They have guys that can score goals, so you don’t want to give them too many looks on the power play, you want to make sure that you take care defensively. I still know a couple of their players from when I was there. There’s some pretty good players there and good goaltenders, so that gives them a chance to win and be successful every night.

Trevor Moore on what the Kings need to focus on:

Clean up the start, and then just be competitive. We have to start stringing some wins together here, and being competitive is a big, important part of that.

Statistically Speaking

— Joel Armia has goals in each of his last three games against the Predators and five points overall in that span, while forward Adrian Kempe has four points and a shootout game-deciding tally (Apr. 6, 2026) in his last four games against the Central Division foe, dating back to March 15, 2025.

— Over the last five seasons (since 2022-23), the Kings’ 87.5 penalty kill percentage (PK%) against Nashville is the fourth-best in the league, trailing only Pittsburgh (95.0%), Philadelphia (94.7%) and Boston (91.4%). In that span, the Kings have surrendered just four goals in 32 shorthanded situations.

— Darcy Kuemper’s next game will be the 500th regular season contest of his career. Only nine other active netminders have played in as many NHL games.

Kings Projected Lineup

Below is a projected alignment. If there are any key changes during pregame warmups, this article will be updated.

Panarin – Laferriere – Kempe
Moore – Byfield – Perry
Zuccarello – Laughton – Armia
Lee – Connors – Haula

Edmundson – Clarke
Anderson – Doughty
Dumoulin – Ceci

Forsberg
Kuemper

Likely scratches: (F) Helenius, Turcotte (D) Gustafsson

Injured Reserve: Fiala

Across the Ice

Nashville is coming off a 3-1 victory over St. Louis on Saturday . Here’s how they are projected to line up tonight:

Stamkos – O’Reilly – Bourque
Forsberg – Wright – Hoglander
Schaefer – Kerfoot – Pinchuk
Colton – Drury – Edstrom

Josi – Wilsby
Skjei – Perbix
Hunt – Struble

Saros

How to Watch the Game

Puck drop is set for 7:00 pm Pacific Time and the game will be broadcast on ESPN+.

Additionally, a Kings radio feed is available on the ESPN LA app.

Further details on LA’s broadcast and streaming plans for 2026-27 can be found here.

On This Day in Kings History

On November 10, 1998, rookie @LAKings center Olli Jokinen scored his first career NHL goal against the Calgary Flames. Jokinen, who was selected third overall in 1997, led all #LAKings rookies in scoring in 1998-99 with nine goals and 21 points in 66 games.

#GoKingsGo https://t.co/4nNwSU69uN

— The Kingstorian (@Kingstorian) November 10, 2026

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Mayor’s Manor Live Podcast with Darryl Sutter

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Game day graphic by ALoImages

Note to webmasters/reporters: When recapping news or interviews from this site please remember to include a link to www.MayorsManor.com

Monday’s practice at Toyota Sports Performance Center had one thing everybody in the building was watching: Kevin Fiala, in a regular jersey, taking line rushes in the top-six with Quinton Byfield and Corey Perry. Nine months after the leg injury he sustained at the Olympics, it’s the closest he’s gotten to returning to normal activities.

The other thing of note is that Erik Gustafsson was not on the ice, and we were later told by coach Peter Laviolette that he is day-to-day.

Here’s how the team aligned:

This is roughly what the lines look like at practice today. Not hard and fast through every drill, but what looked most prevalent

Panarin – Laferriere – Kempe
Fiala – Byfield – Perry
Moore – Connors – Haula
Zuccarello – Laughton – Armia
Lee – Helenius – Turcotte

Edmundson – Clarke
Anderson – Doughty
Dumoulin – Ceci

#GoKingsGo

— Alexander Legget (@LeggetNHL) November 9, 2026

Here’s a shot of the Kings players who were on the ice early:

Kevin Fiala, Mats Zuccarello, Alex Turcotte, and Sammy Helenius are out on the ice before practice starts in about 20 minutes #GoKingsGo https://t.co/c8SNFqs40U

— Alexander Legget (@LeggetNHL) November 9, 2026

Once players were made available to the media, we were able to capture thoughts from Quinton Byfield and Alex Turcotte, as well as coach Peter Laviolette. Below are some of the highlights from those conversations:

Byfield on having Fiala on his line in practice:

Obviously everybody knows how good Kev is and how much he means, not just on the ice but in the locker room. So hopefully we get him back soon. Just being able to be on the ice with him, make some plays with him — played with him for like two years on the same line, so we had some good chemistry, it was a lot of fun. It boosts everybody else in a nice way.

On what makes their games fit together:

It’s good. I mean, we just kind of read each other. He likes to play off the rush. I do as well. So I feel like if we can get that going, just interchange the movement — how much skill he has too, I just gotta get open for him. So we just work off each other, and I feel like it’s gonna be fun playing with him.

On what he’s seen from Fiala behind the scenes during a rehab that’s kept him away from the group:

It’s tough. You know, like, I did that in my draft year — I played for like 40 games. So he’s been out for like eight, nine months. So it’s really hard. You’re kind of by yourself, you’re always in here before all the guys, so you don’t get too much interaction until later on. So just being able to communicate, ask him how he is, try to be a part of it and try to help him. But it’s difficult getting through those injuries, and he’s done a really good job. As you see, he looks great out there, so all the work that he’s put in is really coming on.

On the fact that the Kings have yet to play a game with both Fiala and Panarin in the lineup:

It is pretty wild, because we acquired Bread during that transition when Kev got hurt. So those two together will be a lot of fun to watch as well. That’ll be special.

On the what they need to do for the remaining games on the homestand:

Kind of just one game [at a time]. We were just talking about the next one. We got a couple here, so gotta focus on the first one, play our best, put our best effort out tomorrow, and then we’ll think of the second one after that. So for us it’s been a lot of just we win, we lose. We need to start getting on a streak here. So we’re gonna try to do that before we get on the road.

On what he’s looking to do in his own game with the offense going up and down:

Yeah, it’s a little bit of everything. Kind of just gotta generate a little bit more chances, be a little bit more selfish — shoot more pucks instead of looking for the pretty play, take some to the net, hold on to it a little bit more, create my own. Those are things that I gotta keep doing and kind of do a lot more of. So I think that’ll help me with my offense.

On his defensive game and whether the staff has asked for more there:

Yeah, I mean, obviously you can always get a little better, but I feel like over the years I’ve kind of elevated my defensive game, and that’s something that I’m proud of. Playing against the top lines all the time is obviously a tough task, but once you’re able to shut those guys down defensively you can transition offensively. So that’s just a little bit more that we need to get more of. Obviously your mindset’s gonna be to stop them, but you also have to have the mindset to go the other way, so we can just switch that a little bit.

Turcotte on his return to the lineup:

Yeah, I mean, I felt pretty good. Obviously a tough start, getting scored on early twice there, so that wasn’t ideal, kind of unfortunate. But I felt good body-wise, and it was nice to be back up there.

On the timing of the injury, after a strong camp and preseason:

Yeah, it happened quick, so I didn’t really think too much about it other than just trying to get back and healthy. Just kind of roll with the punches. 

On what he’s seen from the team while watching from the outside:

Yeah, I mean, we started off obviously not the way you wanted to in the win column. But it’s hard — new players, new systems, new coaches. So I think the boys have started playing really good and kind of building their game, and I think it’s just going to continue to grow.

On whether he’s comfortable in any role or position with the lines shuffling:

Yeah, for sure. I mean, I just want to play, so I’m kind of good with anything.

On whether he feels comfortable in the new system:

Yeah, I think so. I mean, I’ve only played four games, so I think it’s just gonna come with more games and more reps.

Laviolette on Gustafsson’s health:

Day-to-day right now.

On whether Fiala has a chance to play Tuesday:

Right now I can’t say that. He’s still moving and making progress towards a return. At some point you have to leave the 14th forward, 15th forward [practice role], and you have to get involved in the drills. So for me this was more of a progression to get him into the mix on the five-on-five drills, get him to be a regular, get him involved in all aspects of what we were doing in practice. And again, there’s a game tomorrow, so you’re trying to manage a game, you’re trying to manage being ready tomorrow, and I’m also trying to manage entry at some point of players back into the lineup.

On whether putting Fiala with a familiar linemate in Byfield helps the transition back:

I think that’ll depend on a game plan on entry. You know, if you’re talking about a limited role and a limited amount of minutes, then that might not be the perfect spot. But I think through conversations — whenever that time is about an entry with a player that’s been out for a long time after a serious injury — I think there’s conversations about the plan back in. And so it’ll be more about the conversations that I have moving forward as to whether or not he jumps into a role where there’s 18 to 20 minutes, or whether you control the minutes a little bit more.

On how Fiala has handled the rehab mentally:

Yeah, I mean, like I said, this wasn’t your two-week injury where you see a player back in 15 days. This was extensive. And Kevin’s a really positive person. I think he comes to the rink to get better every day. Sometimes that means better on the ice and sometimes that means better with your health. Sometimes in that training room there’s ups and downs, there’s peaks and valleys, and you’ve got to get through both, whether you’re in the lineup or out of the lineup. And I think he’s done a really good job inside of a tough situation and a tough injury of handling those peaks and valleys. He works extremely hard to prepare himself for the ice or to prepare himself to come back into the lineup, and so there’s a lot of credit that goes to him for that. I’m sure he’s excited that he’s making progress. He’s left morning skates by himself, he’s left the red jersey, he’s left being the extra forward, and he’s taken steps to continue to work to try and get back into the lineup. So his positive attitude has been a benefit to him in his journey back to the ice and back to playing games.

On how much personality factors into a long rehab:

Well, that’s life in general, right? You don’t have to be a hockey player and you don’t have to be injured. There’s always two roads. And so one of them is a good road that’s filled with great choices, and then there’s another road that’s not. Kevin has chosen the right road in his path to rehab and getting back, and like I said, a positive attitude. That doesn’t mean that there weren’t hard days — there’s always hard days in life — but you just try and keep trying to do the right things and do the positive things.

On whether Pittsburgh’s best beat them or the Kings never got to their game plan:

I’d say the result of the first 10 minutes was them being better than us, them being more dialed in than us. And at that point the score was two to nothing. And so I thought that we were better through most of the game. I do think that they clamped down in the last 10 minutes of the third period and made it more difficult for us to generate. But after the first 10 minutes, I think that we played a better brand of hockey that you can find success with. But at that point the damage was done.

If you want to hear more, you can watch the full availabilities on the LA Kings YouTube channel here:

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MORE LA KINGS NEWS:

Roster Move: Kings Assign Chromiak to AHL, Free Up Spot for Fiala or Zuccarello to Return

LA Kings Prospect Tracker Wednesday, November 4th

Note to webmasters/reporters: When recapping news or interviews from this site please remember to include a link to www.MayorsManor.com

With each passing day, Kings coach Peter Laviolette is getting closer to the roster he likely envisioned at some point over the summer. Given that LA has been playing games with three forwards on injured reserve of late, perhaps it has felt like he’s had one hand tied behind his back.

While Alex Turcotte’s return to the lineup on Saturday moved things closer to his initial expectations, it also brings more questions in the weeks ahead. GM Ken Holland had made sure to leave a roster spot open for one guy to come off IR without needing a corresponding move.

Now, with Kevin Fiala’s return feeling imminent, and Mats Zuccarello likely back sooner rather than later, things are about to get interesting.

Martin Chromiak, who was recalled from AHL Ontario and made his NHL debut last week, has been assigned back to the Reign. This puts the Kings at 22 active players on the roster.

Roster Move

LA Kings are sending Martin Chromiak back to AHL Ontario.

As noted in yesterday’s pregame article, the move was largely expected because… after activating Turcotte, the team was at 23 player limit. Need room to eventually activate Fiala and Zuccarello from IR.

— The Mayor | Team MM (@mayorNHL) November 8, 2026

Thus, one more player can be activated when needed. What happens when the third guy is ready to go, though?

Kenny Connors is the only waiver-exempt player remaining with the Kings. Sure, he could be sent down. However, given some of Laviolette’s recent comments, there’s a possibility he sticks with the Kings. If so, that would mean somebody is going on waivers to make room. We’ll have to see how things shake out in the days ahead.

Short term, more information on the Kings immediate lineup configuration plans should be revealed at Monday’s practice.

And, as for Chromiak, he’ll return to playing for the Reign while awaiting another potential recall to the NHL.

Follow @mayorsmanor

MORE LA KINGS NEWS:

LA Kings Prospect Tracker Wednesday, November 4th

Note to webmasters/reporters: When recapping news or interviews from this site please remember to include a link to www.MayorsManor.com

Coming off their most dominating win of the season a few nights ago, the Kings will now look to carry that momentum over to tonight’s showdown with Sidney Crosby and the visiting Penguins.

In a game where almost everything went right — besides the penalty kill — LA coach Peter Laviolette saw what his group was capable of when at their best. And it all starts up top. Adrian Kempe and Artemi Panarin’s magic was on full display, highlighting how they’ve become one of the league’s most dangerous duos. Their chemistry and creativity on the ice provide the Kings an element that gives the group an opportunity to win every single night.

Coming off his fifth career hat trick on Wednesday, Kempe reminded everybody that when he gets going, not many around the NHL can stop him. After a slower start to the season than expected, if the slick Swede can go on one of his signature heaters and put up a bunch of goals over the next few weeks, that should push LA into a great spot.

Another measuring stick opportunity comes in the form of center Quinton Byfield. With four points in his last three contests, it seems another Kings forward is beginning to wake up. When Kempe and Byfield put up points, the Kings will win games. It’s a simple recipe, yet it has to be consistent.

Holland on Hot Stove

Kings GM Ken Holland paid a visit to the Hot Stove on NHL Network Radio early Saturday morning. Among the topics covered were Turcotte’s return and Drew Doughty’s contract status.

With the former set to return to action tonight, it’s probably safe to assume Martin Chromiak’s time in LA is nearing an end for the time being. Not only does Ontario desperately need him back, the Kings simply have too many healthy forwards as it is — and two more should be back from injury soon, which only further complicates the numbers game. At the moment, the Kings have 23 players on the roster. Thus, to activate anybody else off IR, Holland would need to make a corresponding move.

Holland & Doughty spoke in the summer about his future. He wants to play, Kings want to keep it going too. They’ll figure this out when the time comes.

Also: Holland confirmed Turcotte returns to the lineup tonight for LA. Fiala & Zuccarello inching closer to their returns.

— David Pagnotta (@TheFourthPeriod) November 7, 2026

When it comes to Doughty’s future with the Kings, we addressed this back in training camp and Holland’s comments today seem to further illustrate the points made by MM founder John Hoven here:

OPINION: Doughty and Kings Likely Heading Toward Two-Year Contract Extension

Statistically Speaking

— Kempe’s five hat tricks are tied with Jimmy Carson and Charlie Simmer for the ninth-most in team history, while his 37 multi-goal games surpassed Dustin Brown (36) for sole possession of ninth place on the franchise’s all-time list.

— Over the last five seasons (since 2022-23), no skater in the league has scored more game-opening goals than Kempe’s 35.

— Panarin has six goals and 15 points in his last 10 games against Pittsburgh, dating back to March 18, 2023 with New York. Panarin notched his seventh career four-assist game on Wednesday night, breaking a tie with Borje Salming for the sixth-most in NHL history by an undrafted skater since the introduction of the NHL Draft in 1963.

— Kenny Connors recorded his first career NHL point on Wednesday. He is the second UMass alumnus to tally a point for the Kings, joining Brad Norton.

— Trevor Moore is set to skate in his 500th career NHL regular-season game on Saturday, while defensemen Brandt Clarke and Joel Edmundson are slated to play in their 200th and 700th career NHL games, respectively. By doing so, Moore will become the sixth different California-born player in league history to reach the 500-game mark in their career.

Kings Projected Lineup

Below is a projected alignment. If there are any key changes during pregame warmups, this article will be updated.

Panarin – Laferriere – Kempe
Moore – Byfield – Perry
Haula – Connors – Armia
Lee – Laughton – Turcotte

Gustafsson – Clarke
Edmundson – Doughty
Anderson – Dumoulin

Kuemper
Forsberg

Likely scratches: (F) Chromiak, Helenius (D) Ceci

Injured Reserve: Fiala, Zuccarello

Across the Ice

Pittsburgh is coming off a 6-2 loss to Boston on Thursday, their fourth straight. Here’s how they are projected to line up tonight:

Novak – Crosby – Rakell
Chinakhov – Kindel – Malkin
Koivunen – Lapierre – Brazeau
Dewar – Lizotte – Robertson

Girard – Karlsson
Stastney – Korczak
Carlile – Letang

Silovs

How to Watch the Game

Puck drop is set for 6:00 pm Pacific Time and the game will be broadcast locally on ABTV — available on DIRECTV (Ch. 692), Spectrum (Ch. 320), Cox (Ch. 64 in Orange County; Ch. 53 in Palos Verdes), and other Southern California cable/satellite providers. It can also be streamed on DAZN.

Additionally, a Kings radio feed is available on the ESPN LA app.

Further details on LA’s broadcast and streaming plans for 2026-27 can be found here.

On This Day in Kings History

On November 7, 1997, the @LAKings signed free agent right wing Russ Courtnall to a one-year contract. In 1997-98, Courtnall scored 12 goals and 18 points in 58 games, and led the #LAKings with four shorthanded goals.

#GoKingsGo https://t.co/lvHePkLk3b

— The Kingstorian (@Kingstorian) November 7, 2026

MORE LA KINGS NEWS:

Mayor’s Manor Live Podcast with Darryl Sutter

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Game day graphic by ALoImages

Note to webmasters/reporters: When recapping news or interviews from this site please remember to include a link to www.MayorsManor.com

Adversity.

It’s a term that can sometimes be overused in sports. However, coach Andrew Lord and his Reign squad are facing a level of adversity they haven’t experienced in quite some time.

With a loss in Abbotsford on Friday, Ontario has now dropped six consecutive games for the first time in nearly four years. It was all the way back in March 2023 when the Reign last had a drought like this, suffering a 10-game skid then.

Enough about the past, though. Ontario is gearing up for three more games against the Canucks in rather short order. First up is a rematch tonight in Canada, followed by two more games between the clubs back in SoCal over the next 10 days.

Something needs to change, preferably quickly. And perhaps the most obvious thing is finding a way to just score one more goal. Overall, Ontario has actually been playing really close games of late. They’ve lost each of their last four contests by just one goal, a stark contrast to last season, when they consistently found ways to come out on top.

As they look to put an end to their losing streak, they’ll likely have to do it with a slightly depleted roster. Kings prospect Jared Wright was a late scratch in Friday’s contest and is not expected to draw back in tonight.

Update on Jared Wright…

Sounds like nothing major. From what we’re hearing it’s just typical early season bumps and bruises. Everybody being cautious. May even play tomorrow night. TBD.

Similar to Isogai situation coming out of his crazy smash into the goal post Wed night.

— The Mayor | Team MM (@mayorNHL) November 7, 2026

Even though the defense is fairly set, Lord’s forward alignment remains in flux at the moment, and there will be a few gametime decisions. Michael Mastrodomenico slotted in last minute on Friday, giving Ontario 11 forwards and seven defensemen. We’ll have to see if Ontario’s bench boss goes in the same direction again.

On a brighter note, keep an eye on Kaleb Lawrence. He’s found the back of the net in back-to-back contests and is playing some solid hockey since returning to the Reign this season. The 23-year-old Ottawa native could be heating up at just the right time — when his team needs him most.

In net, 20-year-old goaltender Carter George is slated to get the start. He was solid in his last appearance, stopping 23 of 26 shots before an overtime goal that barely eluded him handed the Reign another heartbreaking defeat.

Reign Projected Lineup

Below is our projected lineup. If there are any key changes during pregame warmups, this article will be updated.

Hughes – Pederson – Ziemmer
Jamsen – Guttman – Ward
Lawrence – Pinelli – Gorman
G. Slukynsky – Doty

Kirsanov – Booth
Hicketts – Brzustewicz
Perunovich – Millar
Mastrodomenico

George
Portillo

Likely scratches: (F) Isogai, O’Hara, Wright (D) N/A

Injured: (F) Jenik (D) Dvorak, Salin, Woolley

How to Watch

Puck drop is set for 4:00 p.m. Pacific and all regular-season games will be streamed via FloSports.

Also, a Reign radio feed can be found here.

Follow @mayorNHL

Game day graphic by ALoImages

Note to webmasters/reporters: When recapping news or interviews from this site please remember to include a link to www.MayorsManor.com

The past few weeks have seen Kings prospect Kaleb Lawrence regain his scoring touch and flourish in a fourth-line role for coach Andrew Lord. However, his lone goal for Ontario wasn’t enough on Friday night, as the Reign dropped their sixth straight game.

Abbotsford excited the home crowd by taking a 1-0 lead late in the first period. During the middle frame, Lawrence found the back of the net for the third time in his last four games, tying things up at 1-1. Before the second intermission arrived, though, the Canucks reclaimed the lead and never looked back.

Goaltender Erik Portillo stopped 32 of 34 shots faced in the losing effort.

FINAL

ONT – 1
ABB – 2

A terrific performance from Erik Portillo goes to waste, as the netminder turns aside 32 of 34 shots. Unfortunately, the Reign offense could not provide enough support, as Ontario drops its sixth consecutive game. The two teams will meet again tomorrow afternoon at 4 p.m.

— Anthony Collazo (@anthonycollazo_) November 7, 2026

This is Ontario’s longest losing streak since March 2023, when they lost 10 straight under then-first-year head coach Marco Sturm. That was nearly four years ago.

Full game highlights here:

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MORE LA KINGS NEWS:

Reign Projected Lineup vs Canucks – Pregame Notes and How to Watch

Note to webmasters/reporters: When recapping news or interviews from this site please remember to include a link to www.MayorsManor.com

Ok, this is getting kind of weird.

After never enduring more than two straight games without a point last season, the Reign are now mired in a five-game losing streak heading into a back-to-back weekend set north of the border.

Tonight, their challenge only gets tougher, as Ontario is set to take on an Abbotsford Canucks team that is 7-2-1 on the season.

Quietly, there is a bit of a rivalry between the pair of Pacific Division foes too. It was just last year when the Reign took five of eight games from Abbotsford in their season series, including sweeping them on opening weekend in October of 2025. While the home team that weekend was raising their Calder Cup banner from the prior season, it was Ontario claiming consecutive 5-2 victories. Taylor Ward had three goals over those games, and he’ll be in the lineup again tonight.

This isn’t about any one individual player, though. What coach Andrew Lord will be looking for is a way to get his club back on track. They’re in unfamiliar territory right now, as this is Ontario’s first five-game skid in nearly two years — back when Marco Sturm was behind the team’s bench.

What’s a bit troubling isn’t necessarily that Ontario is being outplayed. In fact, the Reign have scored first in each of the last three games. However, they’ve been unable to hold leads, watching all three slip away.

On a positive note, with their three-goaltender rotation no longer in place, Ontario’s remaining pair of netminders should have a better opportunity to find consistency and build some short-term momentum.

Erik Portillo and rookie Carter George are expected to split the starts this weekend, with the former expected to be between the pipes for Ontario tonight. He put together an excellent first two periods against Tucson last week, only to see a five-goal third period erase much of the good work he had done.

Kenta Isogai suffered a scary-looking collision on a play around the net last time out, leaving him in need of assistance to get off the ice. Somehow, he was eventually able to return and finish the contest, yet his status for tonight remains up in the air.

Reign Projected Lineup

Below is our projected lineup. If there are any key changes during pregame warmups, this article will be updated.

Jamsen – Pederson – Wright
Hughes – Guttman – Ward
Pinelli – G. Slukynsky – Ziemmer
Lawrence – Gorman – Doty

Kirsanov – Booth
Perunovich – Millar
Hicketts – Brzustewicz

Portillo
George

Likely scratches: (F) Isogai (D) Mastrodomenico

Injured: (F) Jenik (D) Dvorak, Salin, Woolley

How to Watch

Puck drop is set for 7:00 p.m. Pacific and all regular-season games will be streamed via FloSports.

Also, a Reign radio feed can be found here.

Follow @mayorNHL

Game day graphic by ALoImages

Note to webmasters/reporters: When recapping news or interviews from this site please remember to include a link to www.MayorsManor.com

Week 5 of the LA Kings Prospect Tracker brings a familiar face back into the fold. Vojtech Cihar was reassigned from AHL Ontario to the WHL’s Kelowna Rockets this week, and pushes the number of prospects covered here to 22. Meanwhile, Adam Goljer stretched his point streak to six games and has Kingston sitting atop the Western Conference. Out in Europe, Petteri Rimpinen won both his starts — including a Halloween shutout — and earned a spot on Finland’s NOCCO Hockey Games roster.

The following reports cover games played through the end of day Wednesday, November 4th.

Ontario Hockey League (OHL)

Lucas Ambrosio, Erie Otters, LH Defenseman (223rd overall in 2026)
2026-27 Stats: 2 goals, 8 assists, plus-5, 18 PIM in 15 games played

Ambrosio was held off the board in a 3-0 loss to Windsor, but bounced back with two assists — a primary and a secondary — in a 4-3 win over Sarnia. He followed that performance by scoring from way downtown in a 7-0 shellacking of the Soo. That goal also broke his nine-game scoring drought. Erie slipped one spot in the standings to 7th in the Western Conference and 11th overall.

Jan Chovan, Sudbury Wolves, Center (184th overall in 2025)
2026-27 Stats: 5 goals, 9 assists, minus-1, 2 PIM in 14 games played

Chovan had an assist in a 4-3 overtime win over London. In an interleague game against the QMJHL’s Rouyn-Noranda, he scored a power-play goal to make it 3-2. Sudbury gave up two more and lost 4-3. Chovan took his first penalty of the season, but the game was called tight, with the refs handing out 13 penalties total. Given how disciplined the Slovak forward has been — both this season and last — spending time in the box is a rarity for him.

Unreal catch-and-shoot snipe by Chovan #GoKingsGo https://t.co/1R0l6bcWqZ

— Alexander Legget (@LeggetNHL) November 2, 2026

Adam Goljer, Kingston Frontenacs, RH Defenseman (49th overall in 2026)
2026-27 Stats: 5 goals, 7 assists, minus-4, 6 PIM in 15 games played

Goljer picked up an assist in each of Kingston’s wins this week, stretching his point streak to six games. The 2026 second-round pick now has 12 points in 15 games in his first OHL season, and his offensive production has helped propel Kingston to first place in the Western Conference.

Jimmy Lombardi, Flint Firebirds, Center (125th overall in 2025)
2026-27 Stats: 7 goals, 13 assists, plus-11, 6 PIM in 14 games played

Lombardi’s hot streak cooled a bit, as he went scoreless in two games in a week for the first time this season. He did score in Flint’s Halloween game — a 4-3 overtime win against Barrie — and the Firebirds finished the week 2-1. The bright spot was in the faceoff dot, where he won a whopping 63% of his draws. Flint remains one of the OHL’s top teams, winning eight of their last 10 games and holding second place overall.

Jimmy Lombardi with a tip-in goal yesterday while Flint wore special Halloween uniforms #GoKingsGo https://t.co/eoxhWoeCjb

— Alexander Legget (@LeggetNHL) November 2, 2026

Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League (QMJHL)

Liam Lefebvre, Cape Breton Eagles, Right Wing (46th overall in 2026)
2026-27 Stats: 7 goals, 10 assists, plus-12, 20 PIM in 12 games played

Lefebvre has been, and will continue to be, one of the most interesting picks the Kings made in the 2026 NHL Draft. He picked up two assists in a 4-1 win over Yegor Rybkin and the Moncton Wildcats, then went without a point in Cape Breton’s 5-1 win over Saint John. He now has 17 points in 12 games.

Liam Lefebvre keeps racking up the points. Gets a primary assist of this tip-in goal #GoKingsGo https://t.co/H3mXp6V49H

— Alexander Legget (@LeggetNHL) October 30, 2026

Lefebvre with his second assist of the night. Once again off a shot on goal #GoKingsGo https://t.co/I9joIe45gZ

— Alexander Legget (@LeggetNHL) October 30, 2026

Yegor Rybkin, Moncton Wildcats, Goalie (89th overall in 2026)
2026-27 Stats: 3.31 GAA, .902 SV%, 0 SO, 4 wins in 7 games played

Rybkin’s lone start of the week was the aforementioned loss to Lefebvre and Cape Breton, where he stopped 26 of 30 shots. Moncton have been struggling as of late, sitting 8th in the Eastern Conference and 13th overall. Despite that, he is still just a hair over .900 in save percentage, and finding his form in his first season on North American ice.

Western Hockey League (WHL)

Giorgos Pantelas, Penticton Vees, RH Defenseman (153rd overall in 2026)
2026-27 Stats: 0 goals, 3 assists, plus-4, 0 PIM in 14 games played

A scoreless week for the shutdown defenseman Pantelas, though Penticton won both their games. The Vees now sit fifth in the Western Conference and 12th overall.

Vojtech Cihar, Kelowna Rockets, Forward (59th overall in 2025)

2026-27 Stats: 0 goals, 1 assist, plus-1, 0 PIM in 1 game played

On Monday, the Kings sent the 2026 World Junior Championship MVP back to Kelowna after an eight-game AHL look with the Reign. Last season, he put up 31 points in 31 games for the Rockets, then 13 more in nine playoff games. In his WHL season debut he picked up a secondary assist and put up three shots on goal in an overtime loss to Spokane.

College Hockey (NCAA)

Ryan Conmy, Boston College, Right Wing (182nd overall in 2023)
2026-27 Stats: 2 goals, 2 assists, minus-1, 2 PIM in 7 games played

Conmy scored a power-play goal in the first game of a Halloween-weekend series against Northeastern. Both games went to overtime, with BC taking the first and dropping the second. The Eagles fell out of the national top 20 last week, and one win over unranked Northeastern wasn’t enough to climb back in.

RYAN CONMY JAMS IT IN FOR A POWER-PLAY GOAL
#GoKingsGo https://t.co/9TzQWOBRn7

— Alexander Legget (@LeggetNHL) October 30, 2026

Kristian Epperson, Denver, Forward (88th overall in 2025)
2026-27 Stats: 2 goals, 4 assists, plus-4, 2 PIM in 8 games played

Epperson picked up three points across two games for the second time this season, this time against Omaha. He scored beautifully in the first game, then added another goal and an assist in the second, as Denver swept the series.

EPPERSON MAKING IT LOOK EASY
#GoKingsGo https://t.co/aLUBEQsigo

— Alexander Legget (@LeggetNHL) October 31, 2026

Caeden Herrington, Penn State, RH Defenseman (120th overall in 2025)
2026-27 Stats: 0 goals, 1 assist, minus-2, 6 PIM in 8 games played

Herrington is starting to find his footing at Penn State. He didn’t pick up a point this past weekend, but he has established more regular ice time. Though listed on the third pairing, he’s been playing top-tier minutes the past few games, averaging 21. That’s up from 18 and a half last season at Vermont. If he can hold on to the increased playing time it bodes well for his development.

Alex Kostov, Quinnipiac, Forward (177th overall in 2026)
2026-27 Stats: 0 goals, 3 assists, plus-2, 17 PIM in 5 games played

Kostov did not crack the lineup this week as 6th-ranked Quinnipiac beat Providence 5-1. Since his multi-point college debut, the former Flint Firebird had seen reduced ice time prior to and after his one-game suspension. Quinnipiac picks back up this weekend with a series on the road against Cornell. Hopefully Kostov will find his way back into some quality minutes.

Brendan McMorrow, Denver, Left Wing (196th overall in 2025)
2026-27 Stats: 0 goals, 2 assists, plus-2, 16 PIM in 7 games played

McMorrow was in the lineup for the series opener against Omaha but sat out the second game, missing his first contest of the season with a lower-body injury. Injuries somewhat derailed his freshman season, but he is listed as day-to-day and hopefully will be back in the lineup next week.

James Reeder, Denver, Right Wing (198th overall in 2024)
2026-27 Stats: 1 goal, 2 assists, even plus-minus, 0 PIM in 8 games played

Reeder went without a point in the series sweep of Omaha. He is now in a three-game point drought. With the wins this past weekend, Denver moved up a spot in the national rankings to 3rd.

Will Sharpe, St. Cloud State, LH Defenseman (216th overall in 2025)
2026-27 Stats: 0 goals, 0 assists, minus-1, 2 PIM in 6 games played

Sharpe has yet to get on the scoresheet in his freshman season, having gone six games without a point. St. Cloud State split their series against Arizona State, and now hold a 3-4 record. 

Jack Sparkes, Clarkson, RH Defenseman (180th overall in 2022)
2026-27 Stats: 0 goals, 0 assists, even plus-minus, 0 PIM in 2 games played

Sparkes has been out of the lineup for the second week in a row. The 6-foot-8 defenseman has played in just two of Clarkson’s eight games this season, and one of those appearances brought only three minutes of ice time. There’s been no word of an injury, so presumably this is an unfortunate healthy scratch situation.

Thomas Vandenberg, Providence, Center (103rd overall in 2026)
2026-27 Stats: 0 goals, 1 assist, plus-1, 16 PIM in 5 games played

No points for Vandenberg against Quinnipiac, but he racked up 14 penalty minutes in a chippy game where 19 penalties were called in total. He was handed a game misconduct with seven seconds left after sticking up for fellow Kings prospect Blake Zielinski, whose legs were taken out on a dangerous hit. A quick post-whistle scrum followed, and Vandenberg and a Quinnipiac player were both shown the door.

Blake Zielinski, Providence, Right Wing (80th overall in 2026)
2026-27 Stats: 2 goals, 1 assist, plus-3, 6 PIM in 6 games played

After scoring in his first two games — and first two shots — in college hockey, Zielinski has now gone four straight without a point. He also saw his lowest ice time of the season with just under 10 minutes played. Providence are ranked 9th nationally and will play a home-and-home series against Connecticut this weekend. 

European Leagues

Elton Hermansson, MoDo Hockey (Allsvenskan), Right Wing (19th overall in 2026)
2026-27 Stats: 6 goals, 5 assists, minus-1, 10 PIM in 17 games played

It was the first real quiet week for Hermansson, as he went without a point for three straight games — four if you count the Five Nations game he played in for the Swedish squad on Wednesday. Sweden has three more matches to play in the tournament before the 2026 first-round pick heads back to the Allsvenskan and rejoins MoDo.

Tobias Krestan, Eisbären Berlin (DEL), Right Wing (209th overall in 2026)
2026-27 Stats: 1 goal, 1 assist, plus-2, 0 PIM in 14 games played

Krestan didn’t get on the board this week, but he logged his highest ice-time total in the DEL yet at 12 minutes. He hasn’t put up many points — aside from a multi-point game two weeks ago — but he’s played steady, kept his plus-minus positive, and registered a shot per game.

Petteri Rimpinen, Kiekko-Espoo, Goalie (152nd overall in 2025)
2026-27 Stats: 2.41 GAA, .904 SV%, 2 assists, 2 SO, 6 wins in 14 games played

Rimpinen improved his numbers this week, winning both his games and putting up an 18-save shutout on Halloween. In total, he stopped 35 of 49 shots on the week. It is worth noting that there is a bit of a stat issue here. Liiga counts games that head to overtime as ties, even if won. So while Rimpinen’s stat line only shows six wins in 14 games, our count puts him at eight wins. Our tracker will use the official stat line, but he is winning more than half his starts, not losing them.

As of today, he is now on Finland’s roster for the NOCCO Hockey Games for the first time in his career. He will make one start for the team, as part of a three-man goalie rotation for the tournament’s three games.

Vertti Svensk, SaiPa (Liiga), LH Defenseman (145th overall in 2026)
2026-27 Stats: 0 goals, 2 assists, minus-1, 4 PIM in 17 games played

Svensk, much like Hermansson, went pointless this week in the two Liiga games he played and will be playing in the Five Nations U20 tournament — only he will be representing the Finnish team. The two Kings prospects will face off tomorrow at 10 a.m. PT.

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Lead Photo by Timo Savela

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It was a contest the Reign initially led 1-0 on a goal from the returning Taylor Ward. They later were up 2-1 after Kaleb Lawrence found the back of the net just passed the game’s midpoint.

A Barracuda goal near the end of regulation forced overtime, and not much time was needed in the extra frame. Just 17 seconds into the bonus session, the game was over.

Goaltender Carter George stopped 23 of 26 shots in the losing effort.

Said it a few times now… Not sure where things went off the rails with Lawerence last season. He was a promising rookie the year before, coming off a successful OHL career. Could easily make the NHL with proper focus.

Maybe the quasi trade last season woke him up. We’ll see.

— The Mayor | Team MM (@mayorNHL) November 5, 2026

For coach Andrew Lord, who has experienced a rough start to the group’s 2026-27 campaign, it’s time to circle the wagons before they head off to Abbotsford for a pair of games this weekend — just the start of a stretch where the Reign and Canucks will play four times over the next five games.

Lord will most likely be working with the same roster after a flurry of transactions over the past few days. Thus, perhaps things start to settle in after what’s been a rather turbulent few weeks.

Full game highlights and postgame comments:

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Lead photo by Blanca Garcia

MORE LA KINGS NEWS:

Reign Projected Lineup vs Barracuda – Roster Changes and How to Watch

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Maybe it was just the power of purple.

For perhaps the first time this season, there is noticeable optimism around the LA Kings. It could even be beginning signs that everything is going to be okay moving forward. After sitting out Saturday’s game with an illness, forward Adrian Kempe returned to the lineup and promptly scored less than two minutes after the game’s opening puck drop. A hat trick followed, and Quinton Byfield chipped in with a pair of goals. Add in even more depth scoring from further down the lineup and the Kings skated away with a 7-2 victory and pushed their record to 2-1 on the current homestand.

It also gives them a 1-0 record in their new Hometown Remix jerseys, which debuted in the game.

Rookie Kenny Connors earned universal praise from teammates and coach Peter Laviolette postgame, as well. Check out the game highlights and more below:

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Lead photo by Thomas Salvatierra

MORE LA KINGS NEWS:

Projected Lineups: Kings vs. Sharks – Toffoli, Connors Return, and How to Watch

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