Kings Vs Devils: Game Preview As Kopitar Chases Road Record In New Jersey
The Los Angeles Kings visit the New Jersey Devils tonight in a matchup that pits a Kings road push against a Devils team trying to snap a skid late in a lengthy homestand. Kings Vs Devils headlines include Anze Kopitar’s pursuit of a franchise road-points record, Jack Hughes’ hot streak for New Jersey, and lineup and goaltending decisions shaping the game.
Kings Vs Devils: Lineups, Injuries and Matchups
The Devils open with a top line of Timo Meier, Nico Hischier and Dawson Mercer; their second line features Jesper Bratt, Jack Hughes and Connor Brown. Additional forwards in the active lineup are Arseny Gritsyuk, Cody Glass and Lenni Hameenaho, followed by Paul Cotter, Nick Bjugstad and Maxim Tsyplakov. Scratched are Colton White, Dennis Cholowski and Evgenii Dadonov. Injured players listed for New Jersey include Stefan Noesen (knee), Zack MacEwen (ACL) and Brett Pesce (lower body).
The Kings roll out Artemi Panarin with Anze Kopitar and Adrian Kempe on the top line. Trevor Moore, Quinton Byfield and Alex Laferriere form the second line, with Alex Turcotte, Scott Laughton and Jared Wright and a fourth line of Jeff Malott, Samuel Helenius and Taylor Ward. Mathieu Joseph and Jacob Moverare are scratched. Injuries in the Kings’ list include Joel Armia (back), Andrei Kuzmenko (meniscus) and Kevin Fiala (fractured leg).
Kopitar Milestone, Momentum And Recent Form
Anze Kopitar enters the game having just set the Kings’ all-time franchise record for most road points, reaching 608 road points (221-387-608) to surpass the previous mark. The milestone was established in the Kings’ most recent outing, a game in which he scored in the first period to extend his road-point total beyond the prior franchise leader.
New Jersey is midway through a seven-game homestand and has won three of the first four games before dropping the last two, making tonight the sixth game of the stretch. The Kings are in the midst of a five-game road trip and conclude a back-to-back set tonight in New Jersey after playing yesterday.
Key Storylines: Hughes, Goaltending and Matchup Details
Jack Hughes is an obvious player to watch for the Devils, carrying four goals and 11 points in eight games. He recorded a hat trick and four-point outing against the New York Rangers and has been on a hot streak since the Milano Cortina Olympic Games.
Goaltending decisions will be notable. Darcy Kuemper collected the victory for the Kings in yesterday’s game, and Anton Forsberg is in line to start tonight versus New Jersey. Forsberg would make his 11th career appearance against the Devils, tying his most appearances versus any opponent, and he holds a 3-3-1 record lifetime against them with a. 903 save percentage and a 3. 17 goals-against average. When these teams met in Los Angeles earlier in the season, New Jersey goaltender Jacob Markstrom made a season-high 43 saves in a 4-1 Devils win.
Other matchup notes: Dawson Mercer scored twice in the November meeting in Los Angeles and has four goals in his last six games versus the Kings. Defenseman Brian Dumoulin returns to New Jersey tonight after joining the Devils last season and leading the team in time on ice during the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs.
Where the game could be decided: the Devils will look to regain the early homestand momentum that produced three wins, while the Kings aim to ride Kopitar’s record-setting road form and a potentially refreshed goaltender in Forsberg as they finish the road trip. Expect matchup adjustments, line-checks and a close watch on special teams and netminding in what is effectively a pivotal late-homestand contest for New Jersey and a momentum-preserving night for Los Angeles.
