Kings to open 2018-19 season at home against San Jose on October 5

The LA Kings will open the 2018-19 season at home against the San Jose Sharks on Friday, October 5. They will also travel to Winnipeg for the Jets’ home opener on Tuesday, October 9 and to Montreal for the Canadiens’ home opener on a Thursday, October 11, marking an even earlier Eastern Canada swing this season.

Los Angeles is 0-4-0 all-time when opening the season against San Jose, having lost 2-1 at SAP Center to begin 2016-17, 5-1 at Staples Center to begin 2015-16, 4-0 at Staples Center to begin 2014-15, and 3-1 at (then) HP Pavilion to begin 2008-09. The Kings were 1-3-0 against their Northern California rivals in 2017-18, winning 4-1 at SAP Center on October 7 and losing 2-1 on November 12 at Staples Center, 2-0 on December 23 at SAP Center, and 4-1 on January 15 at Staples Center. All-time, Los Angeles is 65-66-7-12 (W-L-T-OTL) against San Jose, a record that includes a 39-29-4-3 mark at home and a road record of 26-37-3-9.

L.A. players and representatives will also travel to SAP Center for the 2019 NHL All-Star Game, January 25-26, 2019. (Cue, “Hey, Metropolitan Division, YOU SUCK!“)

The Kings are 21-20-9 all-time in season openers and 24-18-8 all-time in home openers. Los Angeles defeated Philadelphia 2-0 in last year’s home and season opener behind goals from Trevor Lewis and Tyler Toffoli and a 35-save blanking by Jonathan Quick. The win ended a streak of five consecutive regulation losses in home openers.

Per the NHL’s release, the season will open on Wednesday, October 3 as Washington raises its Stanley Cup banner prior to their opener against Boston, Toronto hosts Montreal, Vancouver hosts Calgary and San Jose hosts Anaheim.

The NHL Network will reveal the 2018-19 schedule beginning at 2:00 p.m. PT Thursday, followed at 2:30 p.m. by each team’s individual schedule release.

The full list of home openers:
Anaheim Ducks: Monday, Oct. 8 vs. Detroit
Arizona Coyotes: Saturday, Oct. 6 vs. Anaheim
Boston Bruins: Monday, Oct. 8 vs. Ottawa
Buffalo Sabres: Thursday, Oct. 4 vs. Boston
Calgary Flames: Saturday, Oct. 6 vs. Vancouver
Carolina Hurricanes: Thursday, Oct. 4 vs. New York Islanders
Chicago Blackhawks: Sunday, Oct. 7 vs. Toronto
Colorado Avalanche: Thursday, Oct. 4 vs. Minnesota
Columbus Blue Jackets: Friday, Oct. 5 vs. Carolina
Dallas Stars: Thursday, Oct. 4 vs. Arizona
Detroit Red Wings: Thursday, Oct. 4 vs. Columbus
Edmonton Oilers: Thursday, Oct. 18 vs. Boston
Florida Panthers: Thursday, Oct. 11 vs. Columbus
Los Angeles Kings: Friday, Oct. 5 vs. San Jose
Minnesota Wild: Saturday, Oct. 6 vs. Vegas
Montreal Canadiens: Thursday, Oct. 11 vs. Los Angeles
Nashville Predators: Tuesday, Oct. 9 vs. Calgary
New Jersey Devils: Thursday, Oct. 11 vs. Washington
New York Islanders: Saturday, Oct. 6 vs. Nashville
New York Rangers: Thursday, Oct. 4 vs. Nashville
Ottawa Senators: Thursday, Oct. 4 vs. Chicago
Philadelphia Flyers: Tuesday, Oct. 9 vs. San Jose
Pittsburgh Penguins: Thursday, Oct. 4 vs. Washington
San Jose Sharks: Wednesday, Oct. 3 vs. Anaheim
St. Louis Blues: Thursday, Oct. 4 vs. Winnipeg
Tampa Bay Lightning: Saturday, Oct. 6 vs. Florida
Toronto Maple Leafs: Wednesday, Oct. 3 vs. Montreal
Vancouver Canucks: Wednesday, Oct. 3 vs. Calgary
Vegas Golden Knights: Thursday, Oct. 4 vs. Philadelphia
Washington Capitals: Wednesday, Oct. 3 vs. Boston
Winnipeg Jets: Tuesday, Oct. 9 vs. Los Angeles

-Lead photo via Adam Pantozzi/NHLI

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