Kings’ Kuemper Leaves Game After Collision With Stars’ Rantanen

As they already deal with the temporary absence of centers Quinton Byfield and Phillip Danault, the Los Angeles Kings lose goaltender Darcy Kuemper, who exited the game early against the Dallas Stars.

Late in the first period, Stars right winger Mikko Rantanen collided with Kuemper following a shot that came from the point. Rantanen skated across the Kings’ crease, catching Kuemper on his left side and making some contact with his head.

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Dallas scored on the play, but the referee immediately waived it off. The game remained 0-0 going into the second period.

The Kings announced that Kuemper would not return to the contest, meaning backup goaltender Anton Forsberg will have to finish the job against Dallas.

After the collision, Los Angeles’ starting netminder stayed down on the ice for a few moments before heading down the tunnel.

Forsberg filled in for the final four minutes of the opening frame, but didn’t face a shot in that span.

Kuemper has missed time earlier this season with a lower-body injury. He missed two games in the middle of October. The Kings dropped both games, which were against the Pittsburgh Penguins and the Carolina Hurricanes.

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The 35-year-old has been a key contributor to Los Angeles holding on to a playoff spot in the Pacific Division.

In his last five starts, Kuemper put up a 2-2-1 record, while registering a .944 save percentage, a 1.62 goals-against average and a shutout. Since the start of December, he’s been one of the best goaltenders in the NHL.

Where Does Kuemper Stand In Team Canada’s Goaltending Depth Chart? Darcy Kuemper has been solid for the Los Angeles Kings lately, including a shutout in his last appearance. However, where does he stand on Team Canada’s goaltending depth chart ahead of the 2026 Olympics?

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In terms of season totals, the Saskatoon native has made 22 appearances before his start against the Stars. He has a 10-6-6 record, putting up a .916 SP, 2.21 GAA and two shutouts.

Among NHL netminders who have played at least 15 games, he ranks fifth in save percentage and third in goals-against average. Additionally, he’s tied for third in shutouts, behind Sergei Bobrovsky and Ilya Sorokin, who have three each.

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