SAN JOSE, CA – The Los Angeles Kings face off against the San Jose Sharks tonight, November 20, 2025, at the SAP Center. Puck drop is scheduled for 10:00 PM EST, with coverage on ESPN+. Here's a look at the projected lineups for both teams:
Los Angeles Kings (10-6-4)
The Kings are coming off a 2-1 loss to the Washington Capitals, snapping their four-game winning streak. They are looking to bounce back as they finish their six-game road trip. Drew Doughty is out with a lower-body injury and has been placed on injured reserve.
Here's the projected lineup: * Forwards: Andrei Kuzmenko — Anze Kopitar — Trevor Moore, Kevin Fiala — Quinton Byfield — Adrian Kempe, Warren Foegele — Phillip Danault — Alex Laferriere, Joel Armia — Alex Turcotte — Corey Perry * Defense: Mikey Anderson — Brian Dumoulin, Joel Edmundson — Brandt Clarke, Jacob Moverare — Cody Ceci * Goalies: Anton Forsberg, Phoenix Copley
Darcy Kuemper is expected to have the day off but will likely start against the Boston Bruins on Friday. Phoenix Copley was recalled from Ontario of the AHL and will back up Forsberg. Kuzmenko is expected to return to the lineup after being a healthy scratch for three games. Adrian Kempe leads the Kings with 19 points, while Quinton Byfield has 17.
San Jose Sharks (9-8-3)
The Sharks are coming off a 3-2 overtime win against the Utah Mammoth. They have won seven of their last ten games.
Here's the projected lineup:
- Forwards: Philipp Kurashev — Macklin Celebrini — Will Smith, William Eklund — Alexander Wennberg — Tyler Toffoli, Adam Gaudette — Ty Dellandrea — Collin Graf, Barclay Goodrow — Zack Ostapchuk — Ryan Reaves
- Defense: Dmitry Orlov — Timothy Liljegren, Mario Ferraro — John Klingberg, Sam Dickinson — Vincent Desharnais
- Goalies: Yaroslav Askarov, Alex Nedeljkovic
John Klingberg and Timothy Liljegren are expected to return to the lineup. Klingberg was a healthy scratch in the previous game, while Liljegren has been a healthy scratch for the past two games. Macklin Celebrini leads the Sharks with 13 goals and 17 assists.
Keys to the Game
- Kings' Defense: With Doughty out, the Kings' defense will be tested. They need to maintain their structure and limit high-danger scoring chances.
- Sharks' Offense: Macklin Celebrini has been a dominant force for the Sharks. The Kings need to find a way to contain him and Will Smith.
- Goaltending: Anton Forsberg will need to be sharp for the Kings, while Yaroslav Askarov looks to continue his solid play for the Sharks.
The Kings have a strong road record at 9-2-2, while the Sharks are 5-3-3 at home. The Kings have been solid defensively, allowing 2.70 goals per game, while the Sharks have struggled, giving up 3.20 goals per game. Los Angeles is favored in tonight's game.
