Jim Hiller and the Los Angeles Kings (3-3-2) are expected to get a huge part of the lineup back on the active roster this evening against the Nashville Predators (3-3-2) at Bridgestone Arena. Center captain Anze Kopitar is reportedly expected to return to the lineup tonight from a lower-body injury that he suffered a couple of weeks ago on the road against the Minnesota Wild in mid-October in an overtime loss.
Los Angeles Kings set to get center captain Anze Kopitar back in the lineup with the first line forwards tonight vs. the Nashville Predators
Zach Dooley of LA Kings Insider reported on Oct. 25 that Kopitar "will play" tonight for the Kings on the road against the Predators.
We mentioned in a piece on the site earlier this week that Kopitar had participated in practice this past week for the Kings without the non-contact jersey on the ice.
This news comes after Kopitar missed the past few games for the Kings on this five-game Western Conference road trip this week. Kopitar missed the Kings' past four games due to a foot injury he suffered against Minnesota on the road a couple of weeks ago.
Kopitar will return tonight to center the Kings' top forward line group alongside Andrei Kuzmenko and Adrian Kempe on this West road trip this weekend.
The captain returning to the lineup tonight at the center position for the Kings will probably result in forward Jeff Malott and center Samuel Helenius being scratched as healthy players vs. Nashville for LA.
This is obviously huge for the Kings to get Kopitar back in the lineup in the forward group this weekend amid the team's two-game winning streak on the road trip in the West in October. The Kings have lost the battle in the faceoff circle in two games in the past week.
Hiller and the Kings face the Predators in the front end of back-to-back contests this weekend on Saturday and Sunday in the West on this five-game road trip.