Game 37 Preview: Colorado at Los Angeles

Los Angeles Kings (24-8-4) vs Colorado Avalanche (23-10-1)
Saturday, December 21, 2013, 1:00 p.m. PT
STAPLES Center, Los Angeles, CA
Referees: #19 Gord Dwyer, #11 Kelly Sutherland
Linesmen: #88 Mike Cvik, #91 Don Henderson
FOX Sports West, KTLK 1150 AM

Los Angeles Projected Starting Goaltender – Martin Jones
2013-14 Season: 7 GP (7 GS) / 7-0-0 record / 0.85 GAA / .971 Sv% / 3 SHO
Career vs Colorado: First appearance
Last Game vs Colorado: First appearance
2013-14, Home: 3 (3) / 3-0-0 / 0.33 / .986 / 2

Colorado Projected Starting Goaltender – Semyon Varlamov
2013-14 Season: 25 GP (24 GS) / 16-8-1 record / 2.37 GAA / .924 Sv% / 1 SHO
Career vs Los Angeles: 7 (7) / 5-2-0 / 1.82 / .935 / 1
Last Game vs Los Angeles: 11/23/13 / 63 MP / 19-19 shots / 1-0 OTW
2013-14, Away: 9 (8) / 6-3-0 / 2.61 / .916 / 1

2013-14 Los Angeles Leaders
Total Points: Anze Kopitar (11-18=29)
Goals: Anze Kopitar (11-18=29), Justin Williams (11-11=22)
Assists: Mike Richards (6-21=27)
Plus/Minus: Anze Kopitar (+18; 11-18=29)
Penalty Minutes: Daniel Carcillo (57; 1-1=2)
Time On Ice: Drew Doughty (25:43; 6-12=18)

2013-14 Colorado Leaders
Total Points: Matt Duchene (16-15=31)
Goals: Matt Duchene (16-15=31)
Assists: Matt Duchene (16-15=31)
Plus/Minus: Jan Hejda (+20; 3-7=10)
Penalty Minutes: Cody McLeod (69; 2-5=7)
Time On Ice: Erik Johnson (22:18; 4-8=12)

Rankings and Statistics
Goals/Game: LAK – 13 / 2.67; COL – 8 / 2.88
Goals Against/Game: LAK – 1 / 1.86; COL – t-6 / 2.32
Power Play: LAK – 20 / 16.0%; COL – 24 / 14.7%
Penalty Kill: LAK – 5 / 86.4%; COL – 20 / 81.1%
Shots/Game: LAK – 10 / 30.9; COL – t-12 / 30.1
Shots Against/Game: LAK – 6 / 27.4; COL – 23 / 31.1
Faceoffs: LAK – 2 / 54.2%; COL – 18 / 49.2%
Save Percentage: LAK – 1 / .932; COL – 4 / .925

Noah Graham / National Hockey League

Los Angeles Projected Lines

Dwight King – Anze Kopitar – Jeff Carter
Dustin Brown – Jarret Stoll – Justin Williams
Trevor Lewis – Mike Richards – Tyler Toffoli
Kyle Clifford – Colin Fraser – Jordan Nolan

Jake Muzzin – Drew Doughty
Robyn Regehr – Slava Voynov
Alec Martinez – Matt Greene

Martin Jones
Ben Scrivens

Level of confidence in projected lines: B+. There are no morning skates prior to home afternoon games, so the above alignments represent the same lines that were used during the first period of the Los-Angeles San Jose game. Darryl Sutter acknowledged that Willie Mitchell is nearing a return. “He’d probably be available, but I’m happy with the six guys that are in there,” he said yesterday of the team’s defense. As the Kings are coming off a 4-1 win over the Sharks, lineup changes are unlikely.

Notes and milestones: The Kings are 58-47-12 all-time against the Avalanche, and are 34-18-8 at home in the all-time series. The teams will conclude the season series in the first game after the Olympic Break on February 26 in Denver. … Martin Jones is the first Kings goalie to win his first seven games with the club. The NHL record for consecutive winning games to start an NHL career is Bob Froese, who won his first eight games in 1982-93 with PHI. The NHL record for consecutive winning decisions to start an NHL career is Ray Emery, who won his first nine decisions with OTT. Emery’s streak started in 2002-03 and ended in 2005-06. … The Kings are averaging 3.33 goals per game in December and have recorded at least three goals in six of their last seven games. … The Kings are 8-1-0 in their last nine games, having outscored their opponents 30-11. They are 15-2-4 in their last 21 games. … The Kings have held their opponent scoreless in the first period in 20 of their last 21 games. … The Kings have allowed two goals or fewer in 20 of their last 21 games. … The Kings are 12-4-2 both at home and on the road. … The Kings’ 24-8-4 record (52 points) is the best 36-game record in club history. … The Kings have scored three power plays in their last 46 opportunities. … The Kings have killed off 71 of the last 77 penalties, dating back to November 7, and 64 of the last 69 penalties, dating back to November 14. … Jeff Carter has eight points in the last five games (3-5=8). … Dwight King has six points in the last four games (3-3=6). … Alec Martinez has three goals in the last six games. … Dustin Brown has gone 13 games without recording an assist and 25 games without recording a point on the power play. … Should he dress, Jordan Nolan will play in his 100th career game today.

Bill Wippert / National Hockey League

Colorado Projected Lines

Nathan MacKinnon – Matt Duchene – Ryan O’Reilly
Gabriel Landeskog – Paul Stastny – P.A. Parenteau
Jamie McGinn – John Mitchell – Max Talbot
Patrick Bordeleau – Marc-Andre Cliche – Cody McLeod

Jan Hejda – Erik Johnson
Cory Sarich – Andre Benoit
Tyson Barrie – Nate Guenin

Semyon Varlamov
Jean-Sebastien Giguere

Notes and milestones: Lines via Mile High Hockey. … At 23-10-1, Colorado has equaled its most wins through 34 games in franchise history. In 1994-95, the Avs were 23-8-3. Colorado’s 47 points represent the third highest haul through 34 games in franchise history. … Paul Stastny will appear in his 500th career game today, joining Anze Kopitar, Marc-Edouard Vlasic and Sidney Crosby as players from the 2005 draft class to have played in 500 games. … Jamie McGinn and Ryan O’Reilly will appear in their 300th career games today. … Jan Hejda will appear in his 499th career game. … Matt Duchene has 10 points (4-6=10) in his last five games. He has multi-point efforts in three straight games, which ties a career high. … The Avs are 13-0-0 when leading after the first period and 18-1-1 when scoring the game’s first goal. … Colorado has a plus-17 goal differential in the second period. In the first period, overtime and the third period, Colorado has a combined plus-2 goal differential. … The Avs are 5-1 in games that extend past 60 minutes.

Graig Abel / National Hockey League

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