While the Los Angeles Kings have struggled at home, they’ve fared quite well on the road to begin the season.
The Pittsburgh Penguins, meanwhile, have managed to be productive no matter where they’re playing.
Looking to get back on track from a dismal homestand, the Kings aim for a third straight road win Sunday against the Penguins, who have earned at least a point in all but one of their six home games in 2025-26.
On the heels of a four-game home stretch that resulted in just three points, Los Angeles is 1-4-2 there this season. The Kings managed just nine goals in those last four games and fell 5-2 to the Florida Panthers on Thursday.
“I think, as of late, it hasn’t been bad games,” said Kings defenseman Mikey Anderson, who recorded two of his three assists in the last two contests.
“Sometimes you just come out with a bad result. Sometimes it’s little mistakes.”
Los Angeles, though, is 5-1-2 on the road, and totaled 19 goals during its current 4-0-2 stretch away for home. The Kings now embark on a stretch of six consecutive road contests, beginning with this afternoon affair at Pittsburgh.
“There’s not much time for anything, and you just have to make sure that we minimize as many of the mistakes as you can,” said Los Angeles coach Jim Hiller.
One of those home defeats came 4-2 to Pittsburgh on Oct. 16. Penguins superstars Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin each scored to rally their club from an early 2-0 deficit.
Crosby earned an assist during Pittsburgh’s 2-1 shootout loss at New Jersey on Saturday. Though the Penguins are amid a 1-2-1 stretch, they’re among the NHL’s best with 21 points and 4-1-1 at home.
“We just got to continue to focus on those little things, and just trust you’ll get the next one,” Crosby said.
“We still got to find ways. … We just got to continue to play the right way.”
Crosby has five points (three goals, two assists) in the last four games, and nine goals with 17 assists in 25 career games versus Los Angeles.
Pittsburgh’s Arturs Silovs (2.49 goals-against average in nine games) made 30 saves at Los Angeles last month, but could sit after stopping 23 shots Saturday in this back-to-back scenario. Teammate Tristan Jarry is 5-2-0 with a 2.60 GAA this season, and won both home starts despite yielding three goals in each.
Los Angeles star Anze Kopitar has 441 career goals, but recorded his first of the season Thursday. He has 25 career points in 27 games against the Penguins.
Teammate Adrian Kempe has notched five of his six goals and 11 of those team-leading 17 points on the road this season. Kempe has recorded three goals and four assists in seven career games at Pittsburgh.
Los Angeles’ Darcy Kuemper (2.57 goals-against average) posted a 23-save shutout against Winnipeg on Tuesday for the club’s first home victory. He’s 2-2-1 with a 3.60 GAA at Pittsburgh for his career.
Kings backup Anton Forsberg has a 3.54 GAA while winning both of his 2025-26 road starts, but allowed three goals on 25 shots versus Pittsburgh in October.
Los Angeles’ Warren Foegele, whose only point of the season came via a goal against Pittsburgh, could return Sunday after missing the last five games with an upper-body injury.
