Tonight the Los Angeles Kings will travel to Colorado to take on the Avalanche for the second half of NBC Sports Rivalry Night double-header. Puck-drop is scheduled for 7:00 p.m. at the Pepsi Center in Denver.
The Kings enter tonight’s game on the road on a five-game win-streak. The Kings won two games on the road to start the streak, which has propelled them up the standings. L.A. is currently 26-18-12 for 64 points; 2 points behind the San Jose Sharks who sit 4th in the Pacific Division.
On Monday the Kings held off a late rally to beat the Tampa Bay Lightning 3-2. The Lightning are at the top of the Eastern Conference. Tonight the Kings need to beat a team that’s at the bottom of the Western Conference.
The Colorado Avalanche are having a regressive season under 2nd-year head coach Patrick Roy. In last place in the Central Division the Avalanche are 24-22-11 for 59 points. Colorado is 15-11-3 at home.
Despite their poor record the Avalanche are looking up. Colorado has won their last two games at home against the Dallas Stars and Arizona Coyotes. It seems the Avalanche don’t have a problem beating teams from the West.
Either way one win-streak will come to an end tonight.
Los Angeles Kings
From L.A. Kings Insider Jon Rosen the Kings projected lineup for tonight’s game is as follows:
Forwards:
Marian Gaborik – Anze Kopitar – Trevor Lewis
Dwight King – Jeff Carter – Tyler Toffoli
Justin Williams – Jarret Stoll – Dustin Brown
Kyle Clifford – Nick Shore – Jordan Nolan
Defensemen:
Robyn Regehr – Drew Doughty
Jake Muzzin – Matt Greene
Brayden McNabb – Jamie McBain
Goaltenders:
Jonathan Quick
Martin Jones
Jonathan Quick is expected to make this 13th straight start tonight. Quick has picked his game up and put it back together since the All-Star break. After a difficult December and January the Kings goaltender has put his game-mask on and righted the ship.
Quick is the anchor of the Los Angeles Kings. When Quick plays well the team wins. Quick is currently 22-15-10-3 with a .910 save percentage and a 2.49 goals against average. Quick’s mid-season slump pushed him out of the top 10 in stats among all NHL goaltenders. Right now Quick is 23rd in goals against average, and 29th overall in save percentage.
Kings head coach Darryl Sutter isn’t messing around anymore. The Kings have discovered what their best line combinations are and they are sticking with them.
That new 70’s Line of Dwight King (74), Jeff Carter (77) and Tyler Toffoli (73) are dominant. The second line trio is back to scoring a majority of the Kings goals.
Dwight King is currently on a four-game point streak. Jeff Carter is on a four-game point streak and has taken over as the Kings leading scorer with 16 goals, 27 assists, and 43 points in 56 games.
Justin Williams, Jarret Stoll, and Dustin Brown have been reunited as a powerhouse third line. During December the three veterans played together and the results were scoring streaks for Brown and Williams. All three can hit, score, and keep the pressure up on a solid forecheck.
Mile High Sticking
Avalanche players to keep an eye on:
Jarome Iginla has always been a force on the ice. Iginla scores, dangles, fights, and does everything his team needs him to. Even at 37 years young.
Iginla leads the Avs in goals and points this season with 18 goals, 22 assists, 40 points, +4 plus/minus, and 3 power-play goals in 57 games. Iginla will be all over the ice, and all over the Kings if they’re not careful.
Nathan MacKinnon is having a sophomore slump for the ages. The young star hasn’t played to the same level he showed in his Calder Trophy winning rookie season. This year MacKinnon has earn himself second and third line minutes, and his point production has reflected it. Last season MacKinnon had 24 goals and 63 points in 82 games, including 8 power-play goals. This year MacKinnon has half that. In 57 games MacKinnon has posted 9 goals, 23 assists, 32 points, -5 rating, and 3 power-play goals.
MacKinnon’s struggles are one of the big reasons the Avalanche have struggled in the standings this season. Still, MacKinnon is a talented player who can score. The Kings certainly don’t want to let the young star get back to his scoring ways tonight. Pay attention to MacKinnon, he’s a great player to watch with or without the puck.
February is the month of Kings. If L.A. wants to maintain their playoff push the must beat a team like the Avalanche that’s down in the standings. After all the San Jose Sharks are faltering and the Kings are in range to take their spot in the playoffs. If the Kings want it, it’s theirs for the taking. L.A. just needs to step up and grab it. They can continue by picking up two points tonight.
There’s blood in the water, and it’s not good for the Sharks.
Go Kings Go!
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Dec 21, 2013; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Colorado Avalanche defenseman Cory Sarich (16) and Los Angeles Kings center Jeff Carter (77) battle for the puck in the third period of the game at Staples Center. The Kings won 3-2 in a shootout. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports