PRESEASON FINAL – Kings 3, Golden Knights 1 – Ward, Forsberg, Hiller

While appearing in his first game in a Kings uniform, goaltender Anton Forsberg led the way with 32 saves in a 3-1 win over the Vegas Golden Knights which improved LA’s record to 2-0 during the 2025 preseason.

Taylor Ward got the Kings in front early with a strike 5:06 into the first, while Jeff Malott added insurance in the second and Trevor Moore iced the victory with a late empty-net goal. Liam Greentree also factored into the team’s first two tallies, earning secondary assists on both goals.

The Golden Knights came out hot and put some early pressure on the Kings to open the first, but a slashing penalty to Ben Hutton at 3:01 turned the momentum toward the other end of the ice. Although LA was unable to score on their first man-advantage, Ward found the back of the net five seconds after the chance ended with a wrist shot from the left circle that sailed over the left shoulder of Adin Hill to make it 1-0. Assists on the early marker went to Brian Dumoulin, who set Ward up with a feed from the left-wing wall, as well as Greentree.

Vegas thought they had tied the game moments after the midway point of the period when a shot by Mark Stone, which was originally called a goal on the ice, was confirmed to have gone off the post and stayed out of the net via video review.

Forsberg was busy in the first, making 14 saves to keep the Kings in front.

The Golden Knights also came close to evening the score up in the first part of the second but once again had a bid denied by the post, this time on a shot by Reilly Smith.

LA wasn’t able to get much going offensively, going without a shot on goal for the first 9:18 of the middle frame until Jared Wright finally broke through with a long-range chance that Hill kicked out.

That was the only look Hill faced in the second before he was swapped with Akira Schmid at 11:13.

A late penalty to Henry Brzustewicz allowed Vegas to swarm the LA net in the final minute of the period, but the Kings made it into the second intermission with the lead after five consecutive saves by Forsberg in the final moments of the frame. The netminder stopped a total of 11 chances in the second.

Malott pushed the lead to 2-0 at 7:57 of the third, knocking home a rebound from in tight after an initial shot by Alex Turcotte which was set up by a cross-seam pass from Greentree. Turcotte was on the scoresheet for the second consecutive game after posting a goal and an assist in Sunday’s preseason opener.

Vegas responded quickly, however, when Viliam Kmec beat Forsberg with a wrist shot 41 seconds after Malott’s goal at 8:38 and the Golden Knights were back within one at 2-1.

The Kings played their best defense of the game in the final moments, limiting Vegas to just one chance on net in the last six minutes of the game.

Both teams also stayed out of the penalty box during the last 20 minutes. Neither were able to convert on any of their chances in the contest, with LA holding the Golden Knights to an 0-for-4 mark while going 0-for-2 themselves.

Moore’s empty-net strike came with 1:02 left on the clock and put the game out of reach for the home team. The attacker stole the puck away at the center ice red line and then found enough space to backhand it the length of the ice and into the open goal.

Hear from Ward, Forsberg and Head Coach Jim Hiller following tonight’s victory.

Taylor Ward
On how he felt during the win
I felt good. I thought we played well as a team. Had our details down pretty well, and just all 60 minutes just started to stick to the structure that we talked about. And thought it went pretty well.

On what he saw to find space on his goal
[Dumoulin] made a great play. Just kind of off a broken play, and he just made a great pass, and was able to get it on net and luckily it went in. So just kind of on the back end of a couple good plays from the other guys out there.

On if he feels more confidence after making his NHL debut last year
I think that game last year gave me a lot of confidence and just kind of proved to myself that I think I can play at this level. So just came into camp with a lot of confidence and was feeling good. So just trying to keep that rolling overall.

On remembering a preseason win he and others had in Vegas a few years ago
Yeah I mean, this is a crazy place to play. It’s so much fun. But I do remember that game a couple years ago. I remember I was a bit nervous back then. I did feel a bit more comfortable tonight, just kind of knowing the surroundings and knowing the building, but it’s so much fun playing here, even in the preseason, it’s awesome.

Anton Forsberg
On putting on a Kings uniform for the first time
I had fun out there. Super fun. Great game. I thought we fought hard. Guys were battling. It was fun to get to know the system a little bit. It’s a little bit different from what I played before, but I had fun out there and this is a great feeling.

On how he felt getting settled into the game
I got a couple of shots in the first couple of minutes there. Obviously it’s nice for being the first game of the year. After that, I rolled on. Lot of shots for coming from the outside made me feel the puck, and that helps you a lot.

On getting the chance to play a whole game instead of splitting time
I am a true believer in in the full games. We talked about it before camp and I know [Kuemper] felt the same way, sometimes you play a period or two. You might be standing there, not getting a lot of shots out of actions, or say you go in for the first period and let in two, and then you got to get off the ice and you never get any time to get into it. So I think it’s a better way of giving everybody a fair amount and a chance to get through the game. Obviously, there’s a lot of lot of stuff too, the energy, like you got to get used to the pace, all that stuff. You play 30 minutes and not anything more, and then going to regular season, you might not be used to it yet. So I think it’s better, for sure.

Jim Hiller
On Anton Forsberg’s first start of the preseason
Oh, really good. You know it’s just preseason and all those kinds of things, but anytime you join a new team, you only get one chance to make that first impression. You want to make a good one, and I don’t think he could have made it much better than he did tonight.

On Dumoulin and Cici’s first appearances together and having an impact
They did. And that’s kind of the thought process putting the lineup together is put them together. We knew zthey would have a veteran team and lean on those guys for a lot of minutes. The penalty kill, which they haven’t done yet reps, but yeah, they look pretty solid back there.

On the way his team played in the third period with the lead
I thought the third period was our best all game and I really didn’t think either team had that much five on five. Their power play was really dangerous, as we know, and that’s really when [Forsberg] had to make all those saves. But I didn’t think we gave them much five on five, and then I thought our third period was our best, and I thought we pushed pretty good.

On the play of Henry Brzustewicz
I think they had more regular higher end NHLers in tonight this game, than the first game. And so I thought it took him a little bit of time to adjust. But what I really liked is, much like our team, the third period was his best period. It was different, a higher level. He had the hockey sense. We were just talking in the room. He pounded a couple into the pads on the offensive blue line, then he went off the end wall. So you can see he’s got a real keen and offensive hockey sense.

On Taylor Ward’s first action of the preseason
Well, great shot on the first one, we know Wardo shoots it really well. Had a couple chances late there, and then around the net, banging some in, and then solid without the puck. We’ve got a pretty good read on him. He had a great season the American League. We rewarded him with a call up. We like him. He’s a solid player, and I thought he showed pretty well tonight.

The Kings are back in action on Wednesday when they go up against the Anaheim Ducks at the Honda Center for the second of four preseason meetings against their SoCal rivals at 7 PM.