3/21 Preview – Panarin’s Production Persists + Armia To Play, “Cautiously Optimistic” on Kempe, Clarke’s March, Surging Sabres

WHO: Los Angeles Kings (28-24-16) vs. Buffalo Sabres (43-20-6)
WHAT: 2025-26 Regular-Season Game 69/82
WHEN: Saturday, March 21 @ 1:00 PM Pacific
WHERE: Crypto.com Arena – Los Angeles, CA
HOW TO FOLLOW: VIDEO: FanDuel Sports Network – AUDIO – ESPN LA App & LA Kings App – TWITTER: @dooleylak & @lakings

TODAY’S MATCHUP: The Kings conclude a short, two-game homestand this afternoon at Crypto.com Arena, as they host the NHL’s hottest team, the Buffalo Sabres, to conclude the season series between the two clubs.

HEAD-TO-HEAD: Forward Adrian Kempe, who is a game-time decision this afternoon, scored the only Kings goal when these teams met in Buffalo back in January, a 4-1 Sabres victory. Kempe has eight points (3-5-8) over his last nine games played versus the Sabres, leading the Kings in scoring since the start of the 2021-22 season.

KINGS VITALS: The Kings did not hold a morning skate today, considering the afternoon puck drop.

Unclear on today’s starting goaltender, though I would expect to see both Anton Forsberg and Darcy Kuemper start one of the two games this weekend, with the upcoming back-to-back. Forsberg has 11 career appearances against the Sabres, tied for his most against any one opponent, and has a .917 save percentage and a 2.54 goals-against average in those matchups. Kuemper has a 5-3-1 lifetime mark against Buffalo in 11 appearances of his own.

Although there will be at least one change, here is how the Kings lined up last time out versus Philadelphia –

Tonight's @LAKings Line Rushes –

Panarin – Kopitar – Kempe
Moore – Byfield – Laferriere
Turcotte – Laughton – Wright
Malott – Helenius – Ward

Anderson – Doughty
Edmundson – Clarke
Dumoulin – Ceci

Kuemper
Forsberg

Kempe takes rushes, will see if he’s good to go.

— Zach Dooley (@DooleyLAK) March 20, 2026

Forward Joel Armia is set to return to the lineup today for the Kings, while forward Adrian Kempe will be a game-time decision against this afternoon, with Interim Head Coach D.J. Smith saying he is “cautiously optimistic” that Kempe will be able to play today. Unclear who Armia will check in for and that could depend, in part, on Kempe’s availability. Look for line rushes to confirm what today’s alignment will likely be.

SABRES VITALS: Buffalo has won 11 of its last 12 games entering today’s matchup and is the hottest team in the NHL at the moment.

Per William Espy of The Hockey News, here’s how the Sabres lined up on Thursday evening versus San Jose –

Lines for Sharks vs Sabres pic.twitter.com/yfufBXoCkT

— William Espy (@William_Espy) March 20, 2026

Buffalo forward Alex Tuch led the way for the Sabres when these teams met in Western New York earlier this season, as he netted his fourth career NHL hat trick with three goals in the 4-1 win. Tuch is second on the Sabres with 28 goals scored this season, while his 58 points are second-most among all forwards.

Storyline Of The Day – Panarin’s Production Persists
As disappointing as Thursday’s loss against Philadelphia was, it would’ve been that much worse without Artemi Panarin.

When you’re down a goal in the third period and you need someone to make a play, you look to your best players. Skating on the power play, in a 3-2 game, the Kings needed exactly that. Someone to make a play. Panarin delivered.

“He’s so dynamic up there, just the plays he makes, the split-second reads he makes when a lane opens up, it’s pretty remarkable,” defenseman Brandt Clarke said of Panarin. “He’s been such a catalyst for us since he’s got here and down the stretch, we’re lucky to have him.”

When he’s got the legs, Panarin has worked with both power-play units, sometimes staying on for the entire two minutes. Before the game-tying goal, the top unit came and went, though Panarin stayed on the ice.

Forward Trevor Moore did a great job of getting to the top of the crease, saying that he just tried to take the goaltender’s eyes away. As he did that, Panarin recognized the situation.

This wasn’t a long set up or a one-timer from the dot. It was a recognition play. Forward Scott Laughton won a battle along the wall on the right side and sent it across the ice in Panarin’s direction. He collected it with a bit of space but seeing Moore with positioning in front, he quickly put it into a shooting position, picked his spot and drilled it.

Got to shoot to score. Panarin did that, when he had the traffic to make it dangerous.

“His IQ to score and how to score, he shoots pucks,” Smith said of Panarin. “He understands, get the puck to the net, bodies at the net, bang pucks in and a goal is a goal. I don’t think he needs it to be flashy. He understands that he’s got to shoot to score.”

Since joining the Kings via trade, Panarin now has 15 points (4-11-15) from his first 12 games played. He became just the fifth player in franchise history to achieve that feat, joining Wayne Gretzky, Marcel Dionne, Luc Robitaille and Ryan Smyth. Not bad company.

The understanding of how to rack up the points is one thing that Smith believes sets Panarin apart from other players with high-end talent.

Naturally, Panarin is in a conversation with a select group of players. He’s proven that with his production over the years. But there’s a reason he has done that. In his short time with the Kings, we are seeing it first hand.

“I think there are a lot of skilled players in the league that make a lot of plays, play on the outside, make a lot of tricky things happen, but a lot of stuff that doesn’t accumulate the points,” Smith added. “Some players in the league that have all kinds of talent, they just don’t understand how to get points in the league. I think what’s underrated is that he understands that, especially on the power play.”

In today’s game, against a scorching hot opponent like Buffalo, the Kings will once again need their best players to be their best players. Panarin has delivered since he’s entered into the fray. To reach the postseason, he’ll have to keep doing that on most nights. With an understanding that is unlike most, no reason to think he don’t do exactly that.

3 To Watch For –
– As noted above, forward Joel Armia will return to the lineup for today’s game, as confirmed yesterday afternoon by Interim Head Coach D.J. Smith.

Armia has missed the last ten games with a back injury and today’s game will be the first time he has featured since Smith took over behind the bench. Since returning from the 2026 Winter Olympics, Armia has only played four periods of hockey and his return to the group is certainly welcomed.

Now, the question is where does Armia slot in 5-on-5?

I think he will play on the penalty kill as he is one of the NHL’s best shorthanded forwards. At even strength though, assuming forward Adrian Kempe is able to play, someone has to come out. If Kempe can’t go, Armia goes in, 1-for-1, perhaps with some shifting line-wise to accommodate.

This is just my speculation, but I don’t think Armia will play on the fourth line. I think that line has earned their place right now. They set the tone early in the game against the Flyers and Smith has spoken at length about his affinity for that group. So, that would narrow in on either Alex Turcotte or Jared Wright. In that situation last week, Los Angeles opted to sit Turcotte out against the Devils, as Mathieu Joseph made his Kings debut.

With Kempe a game-time decision and Armia coming off the injury, I would expect to see at least 13 forwards dressed for warmups today. We’ll see how that shakes out soon on where Armia winds up playing.

– Been quite the month for Kings defenseman Brandt Clarke.

Brandt Clarke had another assist last night for the @LAKings, giving him eight in total this month. His March rankings among all NHL defensemen –

Assists (8): T-4th
Points (9): T-5th
Power-Play Points (4): T-6th
Blocked Shots (21): T-6th

— Zach Dooley (@DooleyLAK) March 20, 2026

Clarke has made the point on PP1 his own, working well in connection with Panarin. He’s also been the team’s most consistent puck mover and point producer at even strength from the backend. I included the blocked shots total as well, because there were multiple plays that stood out for Clarke on Thursday. He was the odd-man back three or four times on 2-on-1 rushes against and the Kings did not allow a goal in those scenarios. He used a good defensive stick to break up a pass on two separate occasions and had a massive block in the third period on another, helping to keep the puck out of the net. While it is the offensive gifts that separate him, Clarke also showcases a willingness to put his body on the line for the team. He ranks 12th in the NHL among all defensemen in blocked shots this season with 137 blocked shots.

Against the Flyers, Clarke played a team-high 23:45. It was the third time in nine games that he’s broken 23 minutes and the third time he’s led Kings blueliners in time on ice. His continued development has been a bright spot for the team in a challenging season. More of the same can only help down the stretch and going forward.

– Lastly, goes without saying here that the Kings are playing the NHL’s hottest team right now.

“They’re rolling and they’re feeling good,” Smith said of the Sabres. “They score in bunches. I was just going through their lineup and that’s as deep a nine forwards as there is in the league, speed wise. You look at their back end, two, three first-overall picks back there, some guys that can really move the puck, they’re making plays and they’re feeling it. I think it’s a really good challenge for our group.”

Since January 1, Buffalo leads the league with 22 wins and 46 points as the Sabres have surged to the top of the playoff picture in the Eastern Conference. Powered even further by wins in 11 of its last 12 games, Buffalo leads the Atlantic Division with 92 points, sitting tied with Carolina for the top overall seed in the conference.

A challenge, indeed.

Kings and Sabres, a Saturday-afternoon matinee in Los Angeles before the team hits the road for a three-game trip.