Panthers hoping to keep up momentum as they host the LA Kings
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Jonathan Ouimet
Dec 17, 2025 (4:19 PM)
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Photo credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images
The Florida Panthers return to Sunrise tonight feeling steadier, sharper, and far more like themselves than they did two weeks ago.
Florida hosts the Los Angeles Kings having won five of its last six games, including the past two at home. After an uneven stretch that tested patience, the Panthers have stabilized their game through structure, physical engagement, and improved puck management. The results are starting to show.
This recent run has been built on details. Florida has cleaned up its neutral-zone coverage, limited odd-man rushes, and reduced the extended defensive-zone shifts that plagued earlier losses. The forecheck has arrived with more layers, allowing defensemen to hold lines and keep play tilted the right way.
At home, that identity has translated into better starts. The Panthers have pushed pace early, forcing opponents to defend rather than dictate. That matters against a Kings team built on possession and patience, one that thrives when games slow down and mistakes pile up.
Florida's lineup remains a work in progress, but the current mix has held together. Sam Reinhart and Carter Verhaeghe have capitalized on second chances. On the back end, the Panthers have simplified exits and avoided the risky east-west plays that previously fueled turnovers.
Florida Panthers test consistency against Los Angeles Kings
Los Angeles brings a different challenge than recent opponents. The Kings are heavy through the middle, disciplined defensively, and comfortable grinding games into low-event territory. Florida will need to stay patient, especially if early chances do not convert.
Special teams could tilt this one. Florida's penalty kill has tightened spacing and reads, while the power play still searches for consistency. Against a Kings team that protects the slot well, puck movement and net-front presence must improve.
This game is about habit reinforcement. Florida does not need perfection, but it needs to play its game for sixty minutes. Do that, and the wins usually follow.
With the Panthers back home and confidence rising, tonight offers a chance to turn a good stretch into something more sustainable as the season grinds forward.