Opening night at T-Mobile Arena had all the glitz you’d expect from Las Vegas, as the Vegas Golden Knights opened their 2025-26 campaign with a wild 6-5 loss in the shootout against the Los Angeles Kings on Wednesday night.
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The loss to the Kings keeps the Golden Knights winless to start the season, despite a hat trick from Russian winger Pavel Dorofeyev and a four-point night from Jack Eichel.
Here is the recap as the Golden Knights start their season with a shootout loss.
Game Recap
Jim Hiller’s Kings opened the game fast, striking twice in the first 10 minutes with goals from Andrei Kuzmenko and Quinton Byfield — each finding the back of the net for the first time this season.
Dorofeyev responded early in the second period to cut the deficit in half, but Jeff Malott restored Los Angeles’ two-goal cushion midway through the frame.
The Golden Knights’ power play would then show its dominance, scoring twice, thanks to Dorofeyev, who scored all three of his goals during the second period.
The first line would then flex its chemistry with Ivan Barbashev and newcomer Mitch Marner, with Eichel scoring his first of the season, making it 4-3. Later, it was the same trio, with Barbashev scoring to make it 5-3.
Despite the power play finding its groove in Game 1, Trevor Moore would score shorthanded along with Brandt Clarke, who drove to the net and snuck one past netminder Adin Hill.
Overtime brought more of the same back-and-forth action, with both teams trading chances before the Kings ultimately won in the shootout.
Despite strong performances across the lineup, the Golden Knights couldn’t hold onto their leads and left opening night with just a point, falling to 0-0-1. Vegas will be back on the ice Thursday in San Jose to face the Sharks, while the Kings head to Winnipeg to face the Jets on Saturday.
