The Los Angeles Kings will host the Vancouver Canucks at Staples Center at 7:00 p.m. PST tonight.
The Kings come into the game with a record of 1-3-1 in their past five games, and 5-3-2 in their last ten.
Los Angeles is currently fourth in the Pacific Division with 17 points. The Canucks are second in the Pacific with 20 points in 14 games.
The Canucks enter Saturday’s game coming off a 3-2 victory over the San Jose Sharks. Vancouver is 7-3-0 in their last 10 games.
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The Kings have been strong at home this season with a 6-1-1 record, winning six straight home games from October 12th to October 16th. Since then the Kings have fallen on hard times. Following a streak of injuries to Anze Kopitar, and Marian Gaborik, as well as the suspension of Slava Voynov, the Kings went on the road and lost four out of five games. Then the Kings returned home on Thursday and lost to the New York Islanders in a shootout.
The Kings have struggled because every player on the roster is snake-bitten at the same time. There is no balance. The team currently has an average of 29.6 shots per game, which is 19th in the NHL. However, the Kings goals per game average is 2.21, which is 26th in the NHL.
The Kings put up a lot of shots but score. When the Kings are outshot by their opponents they have a .571 win percentage. When they outshoot an opponent they have a .500 win percentage. So they lose more when they shoot more.
Who knows whether it’s a goaltender who gets hot and gains more confidence as shots build up and the game goes on, or Kings skaters getting frustrated and down on themselves as they furiously fire shots on the net and don’t put any in.
Vancouver’s goaltender has come out of the gates on fire this season. After a disappointing end and a first round playoff exit in his short stint with the St. Louis Blues, Ryan Miller has helped the Canucks reconnect to winning by giving them stability in goal. Miller ranks 20th in the NHL with a save percentage of .920, and 15th with a goals against average of 2.19. The biggest number for Miller: his record. In 11 starts Miller is 10-1. A big improvement for the Canucks from last season.
Puck Prose
Miller is likely to get the start in net for the Canucks tonight, which could spell trouble for the Kings.
Other troublemakers to watch out for are the two Swedish meatballs, the terrific twins, Henrik and Daniel Sedin. The twins lead the Canucks, as usual, with 15 and 14 points respectively. Off-season acquisition and Sedin twin’s linemate Radim Vrbata is third with 13 points and six goals. Former Anaheim Duck Nick Bonino is fourth in points with 12, and leads the team with 7 goals.
That 70’s Line has been quiet for the Kings the last few games. Part of the slowdown may be because of the change from second line to first line, and back to second line duties. The Line hasn’t had a point since Tyler Toffoli’s short-handed goal, and lone point in the Detroit Red Wings game on October 31st. The last time all three members of That 70’s Line had at least one point in a game was a 5-2 victory on October 26th, over the Columbus Blue Jackets. The Kings were at home against the Blue Jackets, and it was the last game at the end of a six game homestand and winning streak.
If the Kings are going to turn it around and get back to winning they have to get their first two lines up and running in the scoring department. First line stars Anze Kopitar and Marian Gaborik, while dealing with injury, have struggled to produce in the games they have been present.
One King who has played like a champion is goaltender Jonathan Quick. Quick is 3rd in the NHL with a .943 save percentage, and 8th in the NHL with a 1.93 goals against average. Quick has impressive numbers while putting up with the biggest workload in the NHL, with 382 saves on 405 shots, both of which are the most in the NHL.
Kings defensemen Robyn Regehr is doubtful for tonight’s game. Regehr left Friday’s practice early and did not return. Regehr has an undisclosed injury and is considered day-to-day, which means the Kings have to roll with five defensemen tonight.
Good news for the Kings is that Justin Williams has been skating and may return by Saturday night. Williams suffered a laceration near his eye when he was high-sticked by Dallas Stars’ Brenden Dillon. Williams required six stitches to close up the wound, and missed the Islanders game as a result. Having the reigning Conn Smythe Trophy winner in uniform will be a big boost to the Kings lineup.
We’ll see how the Kings matchup against one of the currently preeminent teams in the Pacific Division. With goaltenders like these, expect it to be a low scoring affair.
Go Kings Go!
Apr 5, 2014; Vancouver, British Columbia, CAN; Los Angeles Kings forward Dustin Brown (23) checks Vancouver Canucks forward Daniel Sedin (22) during the first period at Rogers Arena. Mandatory Credit: Anne-Marie Sorvin-USA TODAY Sports