Kings Face Penalty Kill Crisis

The Los Angeles Kings face a San Jose Sharks team that owns the league's best power play, compounding a persistent weakness in their defensive units.

The Kings have killed only 61.5% of penalties this season, the lowest rate among all 32 NHL franchises. They allowed two of their three total goals on Saturday while a man was down, including the game-winning marker against the Buffalo Sabres. The team currently holds a 4-7-2 record with 10 points.

Injury concerns cloud the lineup for Wednesday's game. Brandt Clarke missed Thursday's overtime win over the Ottawa Senators due to an injury but returned for Saturday's loss. Multiple reports indicated he suffered another scare during Monday's practice, though he was back on the ice Tuesday. The Kings also await the return of Adrian Kempe, who missed one game in Chicago alongside Drew Doughty and Corey Perry. Longer-term absentees include Kevin Fiala, out since early February with a broken leg; Alex Turcotte, sidelined since Oct. 4 with an undisclosed injury; and Mats Zuccarello, who has spent two stints on injured reserve for a shoulder issue.

General Manager Ken Holland stated the team could not expect playoff contention with the special teams numbers from last season. That season, the penalty kill fell from eighth to 30th in the league after the departures of Vladislav Gavrikov and Jordan Spence and the additions of Cody Ceci and Brian Dumoulin. Coach Peter Laviolette acknowledged the need for improvement following Saturday's result. "We've got to get better," Laviolette said.

The Sharks (7-8-1, 15 points) bring a potent special unit to Crypto.com Arena. Macklin Celebrini leads the team's power play. The center signed a five-year extension worth $18.8 million per year this summer, which begins in the 2027-28 season. Rookie Ivar Stenberg, the 2026 No. 2 overall pick, has generated seven of his nine points while playing with the extra man.