Buffalo brings a two-game streak and a five-point standings edge into Los Angeles, where Artemi Panarin and Tage Thompson headline the matchup.
Buffalo arrives at Crypto.com Arena with 15 points and a two-game winning streak, five points ahead of the Kings, who are 4-6-2 and coming off a 6-5 win over Ottawa. The Sabres have won two of their last five, while Los Angeles has won three of its last five; Buffalo’s power index edge is narrow, ranking 22nd to the Kings’ 24th. The key matchup is the teams’ leading scorers: Tage Thompson has 13 points for Buffalo, while Artemi Panarin leads Los Angeles with 12; Jack Quinn adds 12 for the Sabres. If the Kings can contain Buffalo’s top producers while getting Panarin involved, their stronger recent run and .885 team save percentage could matter against Buffalo’s .871.