Game 43 Preview: Vancouver at Los Angeles

Los Angeles Kings (25-13-4) vs. Vancouver Canucks (23-12-7)
Saturday, January 4, 2014, 7:00 p.m. PT
STAPLES Center, Los Angeles, CA
Referees: #41 Mark Lemelin, #20 Tim Peel
Linesmen: #57 Jay Sharrers, #66 Darren Gibbs
FOX Sports West, CBC, KEIB 1150 AM

Los Angeles Projected Starting Goaltender – Jonathan Quick
2013-14 Season: 16 GP (16 GS) / 10-5-0 record / 2.35 GAA / .905 Sv% / 1 SHO
Career vs Vancouver: 18 (18) / 7-10-1/ 1.98 / .925 / 0
Last Game vs Vancouver: 11/9/13 / 60 MP / 25-26 shots / 5-1 W
2013-14, Home: 10 (10) / 7-3-0 / 2.38 / .898 / 1
-Jonathan Quick and Martin Jones left the ice at the same time at today’s morning skate. With today’s trade of Daniel Carcillo to the New York Rangers, a roster spot has opened up, and it is expected that the Kings will activate Quick prior to the start of tonight’s game. A decision on either Quick or Jones will be made after warm-ups. Ben Scrivens remained on the ice for extra work.

Vancouver Projected Starting Goaltender – Roberto Luongo
2013-14 Season: 32 GP (32 GS) / 16-9-6 record / 2.2.4 GAA / .920 Sv% / 3 SHO
Career vs Los Angeles: 29 (29) / 14-10-5 / 2.33 / .917 / 3
Last Game vs Los Angeles: 11/25/13 / 61 MP / 19-22 shots / 3-2 L
2013-14, Away: 14 (14) / 7-4-3 / 2.71 / .907 / 1

2013-14 Los Angeles Leaders
Total Points: Anze Kopitar (13-21=34)
Goals: Justin Williams (13-12=25), Anze Kopitar (13-21=34), Jeff Carter (13-11=24)
Assists: Mike Richards (6-22=28)
Plus/Minus: Anze Kopitar (+21; 13-21=34)
Penalty Minutes: Daniel Carcillo (57; 1-1=2)
Time On Ice: Drew Doughty (25:37; 6-16=22)

2013-14 Vancouver Canucks
Total Points: Daniel Sedin (13-22=35), Henrik Sedin (9-26=35)
Goals: Ryan Kesler (15-12=27)
Assists: Henrik Sedin (9-26=35)
Plus/Minus: Dan Hamhuis (+12; 4-9=13)
Penalty Minutes: Tom Sestito (97: 3-1=4)
Time On Ice: Dan Hamhuis (23:58; 4-9=13)

Rankings and Statistics
Goals/Game: LAK – 22 / 2.48; VAN – 14 / 2.64
Goals Against/Game: LAK – 1 / 2.05; VAN – 7 / 2.29
Power Play: LAK – 22 / 15.5%; VAN – 25 / 14.5%
Penalty Kill: LAK – 9 / 83.7%; VAN – 1 / 89.2%
Shots/Game: LAK – t-10 / 30.8; VAN – t-5 / 32.1
Shots Against/Game: LAK – t-5 / 27.5; VAN – 8 / 28.0
Faceoffs: LAK – 2 / 53.3%; VAN – t-13 / 51.2%
Save Percentage: LAK – t-2 / .925; VAN – t-7 / .918

Los Angeles Projected Lineup

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

Jake Muzzin – Drew Doughty
Robyn Regehr – Slava Voynov
Willie Mitchell – Alec Martinez

Jonathan Quick
Martin Jones

Level of confidence in projected lines: B. Obviously, the biggest news of the day is that Jonathan Quick is on the verge of a return, and whether he’ll start tonight will likely be determined after warm-ups. He is expected to be activated from long term injury reserve prior to the start of the game. If he is unable to go, Martin Jones will draw the start. The team did not participate in line rushes this morning, though Matt Greene, Colin Fraser and Daniel Carcillo remained on the ice for extra work with Ben Scrivens, so Greene, Fraser and Scrivens are tonight’s projected scratches.

Notes and milestones: Los Angeles is 98-96-35 all-time against Vancouver, including a record of 60-38-18 at home. The Canucks book-end this five-game homestand; after visiting STAPLES Center again on January 13, the teams will conclude the season series on April 5 at Rogers Arena. … The Kings have lost five straight games for the first time since December 3-13, 2011. The last time Los Angeles lost six in a row was when they lost eight consecutive games in regulation from December 12-26, 2007. … The Kings are 11-3-2 in their last 16 home games. … The Kings are 8-3-1 against the Pacific Division. … The Kings’ penalty kill has allowed eight goals in the last 26 shorthanded situations. … Since recording an assist 42 seconds into Los Angeles’ 7-4 win over Phoenix on October 24, Dustin Brown has gone 65:39 without recording a point on the power play. … Jeff Carter has 12 points (6-6=12) in the last 11 games. … Drew Doughty (55-151=206) is one point behind Larry Murphy (52-155=207) for the sixth-most points amongst defensemen in club history. … Mike Richards (2-2=4) and Tyler Toffoli (2-2=4) are tied for the head-to-head scoring lead in the season series. … Darryl Sutter will coach his 1,000th regular season NHL game tonight.

Vancouver Projected Lines

Daniel Sedin – Henrik Sedin – Jannik Hansen
Chris Higgins – Ryan Kesler – Mike Santorelli
David Booth – Brad Richardson – Zack Kassian
Tom Sestito – Zac Dalpe – Dale Weise

Dan Hamhuis – Christopher Tanev
Jason Garrison – Kevin Bieksa
Yannick Weber – Frank Corrado

Roberto Luongo
Eddie Lack

Notes and milestones: Goaltender Roberto Luongo will return to the lineup after missing three games with a groin strain. … Vancouver skaters Alex Burrows (jaw), Alex Edler (knee) and Ryan Stanton (ankle) are injured and not expected to play. … The Canucks’ penalty kill ranks first in the league with an 89.2% success rate. … Amongst forwards, Ryan Kesler (22:03) ranks second in the league in ice time. Daniel Sedin (21:26) ranks sixth. … With 671 consecutive games played, Henrik Sedin ranks sixth on the all-time consecutive games played list. Doug Jarvis holds the NHL record with 964 consecutive games played.