Kings vs. Capitals Preview: Let’s Get Ugly in D.C.

The Kings begin a five-game road trip Tuesday night in Washington, but with Darcy Kuemper struggling to find his game, Los Angeles could be in for a rough start if things don’t turn around quickly.

After falling to Boston on Saturday, the Kings will look to bounce back against the Capitals before continuing east for matchups with the Islanders, Devils and Rangers, then closing out the trip in Chicago.

Kuemper will get the start against Washington, where he played from 2022 to 2024. His numbers this season, however, have been awful. The 2024-25 Vezina Trophy finalist enters Tuesday with an 0-3-1 record, a 4.53 goals-against average and an .847 save percentage.

If Kuemper can’t settle in early, this game has the potential to get ugly really fast. The Kings will need better defensive support in front of him to give themselves a chance.

Brandt Clarke has been one of the few bright spots for Los Angeles early on. The defenseman leads the Kings with five points through six games after putting up career highs of eight goals, 32 assists and 40 points last season.

Alex Laferriere is also coming off a strong performance against Boston. He scored just 31 seconds into his first game on the top line and finished with eight shot attempts and six scoring chances. With four points on the season, he’ll look to keep that momentum going in Washington.

The Kings killed off both Boston power plays on Saturday, a positive against a unit that entered the game ranked fifth in the NHL. Still, Los Angeles ranks 31st in combined power-play and penalty-kill percentage across the league.

That needs to change if the Kings want to make this trip a success. Giving opponents extra opportunities could be costly, especially if Kuemper continues to struggle.

Mats Zuccarello is nearing a return after practicing with the team and traveling to Washington. He still needs to be activated from injured reserve before he can play, so his status remains worth watching.

Meanwhile, Ovechkin will be the main threat on the Capitals' side. The NHL’s all-time regular-season goal leader announced that this will be his final season and recorded three points against the Kings last season.

Los Angeles has some offensive pieces clicking, but the bigger question is whether Kuemper can find his game. If he can’t, the Kings could be in for a long night to open this road trip.