Kuemper stopped 23 of 26 shots in Wednesday's 6-3 win over the Golden Knights.
Kuemper was able to extend the Golden Knights' road woes, sending them to their fourth straight road loss (0-3-1) of the year. The 34-year-old netminder has allowed five goals on 52 shots over two starts since he returned from a lower-body injury. Kuemper still looks set to be eased into the No. 1 job again -- the Kings play at home Saturday versus the Blackhawks before a road back-to-back in Nashville on Monday and Minnesota on Tuesday. Kuemper is 3-0-2 with a 3.16 GAA and an .895 save percentage through five starts this season.
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Kings' Darcy Kuemper: Tending twine Wednesday
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Kuemper will start at home versus the Golden Knights on Wednesday, Zach Dooley of the Kings' official site reports.
Kuemper won his return from a lower-body injury, stopping 24 of 26 shots against Utah on Saturday. He'll draw a tough start Wednesday, though the Golden Knights have yet to win away from home (0-2-1).
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Kings' Darcy Kuemper: Wins in first game back from injury
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Kuemper made 23 saves in a 3-2 win Saturday over Utah.
Kuemper hadn't played since Oct. 14 due to a lower-body injury. He's 2-0-2 with a 3.20 GAA and .890 save percentage, but those ratios were inflated when he allowed eight goals on 41 shots in a wild 8-7 overtime loss to Ottawa. Kuemper is a guy who should excel behind a defensive team-first system in LA. Get him back in your blue paint.
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Kings' Darcy Kuemper: Returns to crease Saturday
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Kuemper will patrol the home net Saturday against Utah, Zach Dooley of the Kings' official site reports.
After missing four games due to a lower-body injury, Kuemper suited up as David Rittich's backup in Thursday's 3-2 win over San Jose. The 34-year-old Kuemper has a 1-0-2 record this campaign, stopping 89 of 100 shots. Utah has produced 23 goals over eight games this season.
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Kings' Darcy Kuemper: Activated Thursday
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Kuemper (lower body) was removed from injured reserve Thursday.
Kuemper won't start Thursday versus the Sharks -- David Rittich will be in net against the last winless team in the league this season. However, Kuemper should take over as the No. 1 netminder going forward, beginning with Saturday's home game versus Utah. He went 1-0-2 with 11 goals allowed on 100 shots over three appearances of the season before missing the next four contests.
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Kings' Darcy Kuemper: Put on injured reserve
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Kuemper (lower body) was placed on injured reserve Saturday by the Kings.
Kuemper won't be eligible to play in Sunday's road game against Anaheim, but he could be an option for Tuesday's clash in Vegas, provided he's healthy. David Rittich has appeared in each of LA's past two games, and he'll likely continue to be leaned on heavily until Kuemper is ready to play.
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Kings' Darcy Kuemper: Not suiting up Thursday
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Kuemper (lower body) won't play Thursday versus the Canadiens, Zach Dooley of the Kings' official site reports.
David Rittich will start and Pheonix Copley will against back him up as Kuemper sits out a second straight game. The 34-year-old Kuemper's next chance to play is Sunday in Anaheim.
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Kings' Darcy Kuemper: Ruled out Wednesday
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Kuemper is dealing with a lower-body injury that will sideline him against Toronto on Wednesday, Dennis Bernstein of The Fourth Period reports.
While head coach Jim Hiller described Kuemper as day-to-day, he probably should be considered doubtful to start against Montreal on Thursday in the second half of a back-to-back. With David Rittich taking the first game versus the Leafs, that would potentially open the door for Pheonix Copley to get the nod Thursday. After a decent first two games to open the 2024-25 campaign, the 34-year-old Kuemper was absolutely rocked by Ottawa on Monday, giving up eight goals on 41 shots (.805 save percentage) -- though he still earned his team a point with the overtime defeat.
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Kings' Darcy Kuemper: Stuck with wild OT loss
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Kuemper made 33 saves on 41 shots in Monday's 8-7 overtime loss to the Senators.
The two teams combined for seven power-play goals, making it a miserable afternoon for both Kuemper and the two Ottawa goalies that saw action, Anton Forsberg and Mads Sogaard. Kuemper had given up just three goals on 59 shots in his first two appearances of the season, so while his ratios could look ugly for a while, his spot at the top of the Kings' depth chart likely isn't in any jeopardy.
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Kings' Darcy Kuemper: Allows two goals in overtime loss
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Kuemper stopped 23 of 25 shots in Saturday's 2-1 overtime loss to Boston.
Kuemper has been superb to begin the 2024-25 campaign following the worst showing of his NHL career last season. As a member of the Kings this year, he has permitted only three goals on 58 shots through two starts. The Kings may go back to Kuemper on Monday in Ottawa.
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Kings' Darcy Kuemper: Starting in Boston
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Kuemper will guard the road goal Saturday versus Boston, per Zach Dooley of the Kings' official site.
Kuemper made 32 saves in Thursday's 3-1 win over Buffalo to open the 2024-25 campaign. Boston has accumulated 10 goals in two games this season en route to a 1-1-0 record.
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Kings' Darcy Kuemper: Sharp in Thursday's win
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Kuemper made 32 saves in Thursday's 3-1 win over the Sabres.
Alex Tuch beat him on a shorthanded breakaway in the second period, but even then Kuemper made the initial save only for the Buffalo forward to get enough of a bouncing puck on the rebound to put it into the net. Otherwise, he had an answer for everything the Sabres fired his way. Kuemper is coming off a shaky 2023-24 season with the Capitals in which he stumbled to a 3.31 GAA and .890 save percentage over 33 appearances, but playing behind the Kings' tighter defensive system should have the 34-year-old netminder poised for significant improvement.
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Kings' Darcy Kuemper: Set to start Thursday
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Kuemper was the first goalie off Thursday, Heather Engel of NHL.com reports, indicating he'll be in the road crease for the Kings' regular-season opener against the Sabres on Thursday.
Kuemper spent the last two seasons in Washington, and he had one of the worst years of his career during the 2023-24 campaign, posting a 13-14-3 record, 3.31 GAA and .890 save percentage over 33 regular-season appearances. However, the 34-year-old had a strong preseason and will begin the regular season as the Kings' top goalie.
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Kings' Darcy Kuemper: Downed by Panthers
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Kuemper stopped 11 of 14 shots during Saturday's preseason loss to the Panthers.
Two power-play goals against in the first period put the Kings in a hole they couldn't climb out of, but it's encouraging that the team was still stingy in allowing shots despite the absence of Drew Doughty (ankle) on the blue line. Kuemper is coming off a disappointing two-year run as a Capital that saw him produce a 3.03 GAA and .902 save percentage in 90 games, but the 34-year-old netminder could rebound behind a tighter defensive scheme with the Kings.
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Kings' Darcy Kuemper: Starting in Quebec
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Kuemper will guard the home goal versus the Panthers in Saturday's exhibition game in Quebec City, Zach Dooley of the Kings' official site reports.
Kuemper has been sharp in the preseason, winning both of his previous starts while allowing just one goal on 35 shots. The 34-year-old's strong preseason has positioned him well to begin the year as the Kings' top goalie, though the absence of Drew Doughty (ankle) could see the team's defensive system a little leakier than normal.
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Kings' Darcy Kuemper: In net versus Anaheim
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Kuemper will be in net for Monday's road exhibition game against the Ducks, Zach Dooley of the Kings' official site reports.
Kuemper is battling with David Rittich for the No. 1 netminding gig after being acquired in a trade from Washington in June. The 34-year-old Kuemper was 13-14-3 with an .890 save percentage and a 3.31 GAA in 33 regular-season appearances with the Capitals in 2023-24.
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Kings' Darcy Kuemper: Involved in major trade
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Kuemper was dealt to the Kings from the Capitals on Wednesday in exchange for Pierre-Luc Dubois.
Kuemper had a 13-14-3 record, 3.31 GAA and .890 save percentage in 33 regular-season appearances with Washington in 2023-24. Perhaps the 34-year-old will benefit from the change of scenery and rebound, but he'll likely begin the 2024-25 as the backup netminder. Between his age and recent results, the three seasons remaining on Kuemper's five-year, $26.25 million contract seem rather undesirable. The fact that he's the only return LA got for Dubois speaks to how much the 25-year-old forward's market value has fallen following his 40-point season and due to the seven seasons remaining on his eight-year, $64 million deal.
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Capitals' Darcy Kuemper: Blown away by Canes
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Kuemper turned aside 41 of 44 shots in Friday's 4-2 loss to the Hurricanes, with Carolina's final goal getting scored into an empty net.
Alex Ovechkin was the only Capitals skater who seemed aware the team was fighting for a playoff spot, and Kuemper was hung out to dry as his team got outshot 45-16 on the night. Even so, he kept things close and didn't give up the lead until Carolina potted two power-play tallies in the third period. The 33-year-old netminder hasn't won a game since Feb. 26, making only four appearances and giving up 14 goals on 107 shots (.869 save percentage). With Charlie Lindgren struggling too of late, the duo could be moving into a timeshare as coach Spencer Carbery tries to find something that works.
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Capitals' Darcy Kuemper: Set to face Hurricanes
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Kuemper is expected to start on the road against Carolina on Friday, Bailey Johnson of The Washington Post reports.
Kuemper has a 13-13-3 record, 3.32 GAA and .888 save percentage in 32 outings in 2023-24. This will be his first start since March 22, when he stopped just 18 of 22 shots in 39:54 of ice time before being pulled en route to a 7-6 shootout win over the Hurricanes. Although Washington won that contest, given how Kuemper performed on a personal level, he'll be entering this rematch with something to prove. The Hurricanes, who rank eighth offensively this year with 3.34 goals per game, will be a challenging adversary.
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Capitals' Darcy Kuemper: Makes relief appearance in Buffalo
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Kuemper turned aside all four shots he faced after replacing Charlie Lindgren early in the third period of Tuesday's 6-2 loss to the Sabres. Lindgren was credited with the defeat.
Buffalo struck three times in the first six minutes of the third to chase Lindgren from the game, forcing Kuemper into action. The 33-year-old Kuemper has made only two starts since the beginning of March, and he got the hook himself in one of them. His 3.32 GAA and .888 save percentage on the season are far from impressive. The Capitals are hanging onto the final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference by their fingernails, but there's been no indication Kuemper will see a bigger workload down the stretch.
