Game 41 Preview: Los Angeles vs New York

Los Angeles Kings (19-12-9) vs New York Rangers (22-11-4)
Thursday, January 8, 2015, 7:30 p.m. PT
Staples Center, Los Angeles, CA
Referees: #11 Kelly Sutherland, #29 Ian Walsh
Linesmen: #57 Jay Sharrers, #79 Kiel Murchison
FOX Sports West, NHL Network, KABC 790 AM
Kings Weekly follows tonight’s game

Los Angeles Projected Starting Goaltender – Jonathan Quick
2014-15: 33 GP (33 GS) / 16-9-7 record / 2.35 GAA / .917 Sv% / 3 SHO
Career vs New York: 3 (3) / 2-1-0 / 1.96 / .920 / 0
Last Game vs New York: 10/7/13 / 59 MP / 25-28 shots / 1-3 L
2014-15, Home: 19 (19) / 13-3-2 / 1.94 / .931 / 3

New York Projected Starting Goaltender – Cam Talbot
2014-15: 8 GP (7 GS) / 3-3-1 record / 2.02 GAA / .928 Sv% / 3 SHO
Career vs Los Angeles: First appearance
Last Game vs Los Angeles: First appearance
2014-15, Away: 4 (4) / 1-3-0 / 3.06 / .895 / 1

2014-15 Los Angeles Leaders
Total Points: Jeff Carter (11-18=29), Anze Kopitar (8-21=29)
Goals: Tyler Toffoli (12-14=26), Marian Gaborik (12-8=20)
Assists: Anze Kopitar (8-21=29)
Plus/Minus: Tyler Toffoli (+16; 12-14=26)
Penalty Minutes: Matt Greene (38; 2-3=5)
Time On Ice: Drew Doughty (29:11; 4-20=24)
Corsi-For Percentage: Trevor Lewis (60.0%; 6-4=10)

2014-15 New York Leaders
Total Points: Rick Nash (25-14=39)
Goals: Rick Nash (25-14=39)
Assists: Derick Brassard (11-20=31)
Plus/Minus: Rick Nash (+19; 25-14=39)
Penalty Minutes: Chris Kreider (60; 7-11=18)
Time On Ice: Dan Girardi (23:43; 2-6=8)
Corsi-For Percentage: Kevin Klein (53.1%; 7-7=14)

Rankings and Statistics
Goals/Game: LAK – t-13 / 2.78; NYR – 3 / 3.11
Goals Against/Game: LAK – 9 / 2.45; NYR – 7 / 2.35
Power Play: LAK – 10 / 20.3%; NYR – 11 / 20.2%
Penalty Kill: LAK – 19 / 79.8%; NYR – 12 / 82.2%
Shots/Game: LAK – 9 / 28.1; NYR – 8 / 27.9
Shots Against/Game: LAK – t-9 / 28.2; NYR – 12 / 28.6
Faceoffs: LAK – t-10 / 51.1%; NYR – t-29 / 46.4%
Save Percentage: LAK – t-11 / .913; NYR – 8 / .916
Corsi-For Percentage: LAK – 2 / 54.7%; NYR – 18 / 50.2%

Los Angeles Projected Lines

Marian Gaborik – Anze Kopitar – Dwight King
Tanner Pearson – Jeff Carter – Tyler Toffoli
Dustin Brown – Jarret Stoll – Justin Williams
Kyle Clifford – Mike Richards – Trevor Lewis

Jake Muzzin – Drew Doughty
Alec Martinez – Matt Greene
Jeff Schultz – Jamie McBain

Jonathan Quick
Martin Jones

Level of confidence in projected lines: A. An “A”! Imagine that. The alignment above was used in practices yesterday and today. Jonathan Quick left the ice first at the morning skate, so he’s expected to start. Martin Jones remained on the ice to work with Andy Andreoff, Brayden McNabb, Robyn Regehr (injured reserve) and Jordan Nolan, so they’re not expected to be in tonight’s lineup.

Notes and milestones: The Kings are 45-63-19 all-time against the Rangers, a record that includes a home mark of 26-27-12. These teams will meet next at Madison Square Garden on March 24. … Los Angeles is 0-0-1 during a season-long seven-game homestand (OTL vs NSH, 1/8 vs NYR, 1/10 vs WPG, 1/12 vs TOR, 1/14 vs NJD, 1/17 vs ANA, 1/19 vs CGY). … The Kings are 6-6-3 versus the Eastern Conference and 2-3-2 versus the Metropolitan Division. … Los Angeles has won five of 19 one-goal games (5-5-9). … The Kings are 13-2-5 when scoring the game’s first goal, 13-3-2 when scoring on the power play and 17-4-2 when allowing two goals or less. … Los Angeles has a 58.3% Corsi-for rating in five-on-five play over the last 20 games (1064 CF / 762 CA). The Kings haven’t been outshot over the last 16 games (7-5-4) and have averaged 35.1 shots per game over that span (562 shots / 16 GP). Opposing goalies have posted a .916 save percentage over that span (515 saves / 562 shots). … Los Angeles is 2-9 in games that extend past 60 minutes. … With 31 points at home this year, the Kings have the third most home points through 21 games in franchise history. The record is 33 points, set in 2012-13. … Anze Kopitar (0-3=3) has points in seven of the last nine games (2-13=15). He has recorded at least three assists three times in the last eight games. … Jeff Carter has 10 points (4-6=10) in the last nine games. … Drew Doughty has points in three straight games (1-2=3). … Dwight King has goals in two straight games for the fourth time in his career. He has never scored in three straight games. … Matt Greene has points in two straight games (1-1=2), tying a career high. … Mike Richards has points in two straight games (1-1=2). … Marian Gaborik has points in eight of his last nine games (8-4=12). He recorded 229 points (114-115=229) in 255 games with New York between 2009-13. Gaborik has 11 points (8-3=11) in 10 career games against New York. … Jamie McBain has 99 career points (27-72=99), one shy of 100. … Jeff Carter is expected to play his 99th consecutive regular season game tonight.

New York Projected Lines

Rick Nash – Derick Brassard – Mats Zuccarello
Chris Kreider – Derek Stepan – Martin St. Louis
Carl Hagelin – Kevin Hayes – Jesper Fast
J.T. Miller – Dominic Moore – Lee Stempniak

Ryan McDonagh – Dan Girardi
Marc Staal – Dan Boyle
John Moore – Kevin Klein

Cam Talbot
Henrik Lundqvist

Notes and milestones: Lines via NHL.com … The Rangers are 11-1-0 in their last 12 games, dating back to December 8 vs. Pittsburgh. New York has outscored its opponents 44-18 over the 12-game span and has registered at least four goals in seven of the 12 games. … The Rangers do not list any injuries. … New York is 8-0-1 when outscoring its opponent on special teams. The Rangers are 12-4-2 when scoring a power play goal and have power play goals in five of the last six games. Derick Brassard leads the club in power play goals (four), power play assists (eight) and power play points (12). … With 199 career assists, Lee Stempniak is one assist away from 200. … With 1,097 games played, Martin St. Louis is three games shy of 1,100 in his career. He played his 1,000th NHL game at Staples Center last season as a member of the Tampa Bay Lightning. … New York is 7-2-3 against Western Conference teams and 5-1-0 against the Pacific Division. The Rangers have won road games against Anaheim, Calgary, Edmonton and Vancouver in the same season for the first time in franchise history. … New York has defeated the Ducks and Kings on the road on back-to-back nights only once in franchise history (December 16-17, 2008). The Rangers won 4-1 in Anaheim last night. … Rick Nash ranks second in the NHL with 25 goals scored and has recorded at least 20 goals in 11 straight seasons, dating back to 2003-04. Since joining New York prior to the 2012-13 season, Nash leads the NHL in five-on-five goals per 60 minutes (1.6). … Tonight’s projected starter, Cam Talbot, has posted shutouts in three of his last four starts. He is the first Rangers goalie to register three shutouts in a personal four-game span since Andy Aitkenhead posted a shutout in three consecutive appearances from December 2-7, 1933. … Kevin Klein has points/assists in three straight games. … Derick Brassard has goals in three straight games, tying a career high.