Game 54 Preview: Los Angeles vs Calgary

Los Angeles Kings (23-18-12) vs Calgary Flames (30-21-3)
Thursday, February 12, 2015, 7:30 p.m. PT
Staples Center, Los Angeles, CA
Referees: #34 Brad Meier, #26 Rob Martell
Linesmen: #88 Mike Cvik, #91 Don Henderson
Fox Sports West, Sportsnet, KABC 790 AM

Los Angeles Projected Starting Goaltender – Jonathan Quick
2014-15: 45 GP (44 GS) / 19-15-10 record / 2.52 GAA / .909 Sv% / 3 SHO
Career vs Calgary: 19 (19) / 9-6-4 / 1.75 / .926 / 2
Last Game vs Calgary: 1/19/15 / 64 MP / 21-23 / 1-2 L
2014-15, Home: 25 (24) / 14-5-5 / 2.22 / .919 / 3

Calgary Projected Starting Goaltender – Jonas Hiller
2014-15: 37 GP (33 GS) / 18-15-2 record / 2.34 GAA / .915 Sv% / 1 SHO
Career vs Los Angeles: 23 (21) / 11-8-3 / 2.27 / .928 / 3
Last Game vs Los Angeles: 12/29/14 / 60 MP / 26-27 / 2-1 W
2014-15, Away: 16 (14) / 7-7-1 / 2.41 / .924 / 0

2014-15 Los Angeles Leaders
Total Points: Anze Kopitar (11-29=40)
Goals: Marian Gaborik (16-15=31)
Assists: Anze Kopitar (11-29=40)
Plus/Minus: Tyler Toffoli (+16; 15-16=31)
Penalty Minutes: Kyle Clifford (59; 2-7=9)
Time On Ice: Drew Doughty (29:22; 5-26=31)
Corsi-For Percentage: Anze Kopitar (57.7%; 11-29=40), Jake Muzzin (57.7%; 6-19=25)

2014-15 Calgary Leaders
Total Points: Mark Giordano (11-33=44)
Goals: Sean Monahan (17-17=34)
Assists: Mark Giordano (11-33=44)
Plus/Minus: TJ Brodie (+26; 8-24=32)
Penalty Minutes: Brandon Bollig (47; 1-2=3)
Time On Ice: TJ Brodie (25:10; 8-24=32)
Corsi-For Percentage: Mikael Backlund (47.9%; 6-8=14)

Rankings and Statistics
Goals/Game: LAK – t-16 / 2.70; CGY – t-11 / 2.83
Goals Against/Game: LAK – t-13 / 2.58; CGY – 10 / 2.52
Power Play: LAK – 12 / 19.4%; CGY – 20 / 17.3%
Penalty Kill: LAK – 27 / 78.2%; CGY – 24 / 78.9%
Shots/Game: LAK – 6 / 31.3; CGY – 28 / 27.1
Shots Against/Game: LAK – 5 / 27.5; CGY – 7 / 27.8
Faceoffs: LAK – 11 / 51.2%; CGY – t-27 / 47.6%
Save Percentage: LAK – t-23 / .906; CGY – 15 / .910
Corsi-For Percentage: LAK – 1 / 54.5%; CGY – 28 / 44.9%

Los Angeles Projected Lineup

Marian Gaborik – Anze Kopitar – Trevor Lewis
Dwight King – Jeff Carter – Tyler Toffoli
Dustin Brown – Jarret Stoll – Justin Williams
Kyle Clifford – Nick Shore – Jordan Nolan

Robyn Regehr – Drew Doughty
Jake Muzzin – Matt Greene
Brayden McNabb – Jamie McBain

Jonathan Quick
Martin Jones

Level of confidence in projected lines: A. The lines above are those that were used during line rushes at today’s morning skate. Andy Andreoff and Derek Forbort remained on the ice for extra work with Martin Jones, so they’re likely out tonight. Alec Martinez (concussion-like symptoms) remains out, while Tanner Pearson is on injured reserve.

Notes and milestones: Los Angeles is 88-108-28 all-time against the Calgary franchise, a record that includes a home mark of 54-45-12. The Kings are 0-1-2 against the Flames in 2014-15 and have lost four consecutive games to their Pacific Division rivals (0-1-3). Calgary has won four consecutive games at Staples Center – all by one goal – since Los Angeles swept back-to-back home games on March 9 and 11, 2013. These teams will conclude the season series on April 9 at the Scotiabank Saddledome. … The Kings are 7-7-12 in one-goal games this season. … With 30 game-winning goals each, Dustin Brown and Anze Kopitar are tied for fourth place on Los Angeles’ all-time GWG list, trailing Luc Robitaille (73), Marcel Dionne (59) and Dave Taylor (47). … Los Angeles leads the league with 1,756 hits. … With one goal each, Trevor Lewis, Jamie McBain, Marian Gaborik, Jarret Stoll and Tyler Toffoli are the Kings’ only goal scorers in the season series with the Flames. … Los Angeles is 12-1-3 when leading after one period and 16-1-3 when leading after two periods. … With 498 career points (270-228=298), Jeff Carter is two points shy of 500. … With six goals and 19 assists, Jake Muzzin is one goal away from tying his career-high (7 / 2012-13) and one assist away from surpassing his career-high (19 / 2013-14). … The Kings have 38 points at home this season (16-6-6), tying the most points through 28 home games in franchise history (also 1980-81, 1990-91). … With 16 assists, Tyler Toffoli is one assist from tying his career high (17 / 2013-14). … Justin Williams is expected to play his 399th game as a King. … Los Angeles has been shorthanded only eight times over the last five games and has killed off seven of the eight minor penalties.

Calgary Projected Lines

Johnny Gaudreau – Sean Monahan – Jiri Hudler
Lance Bouma – Mikael Backlund – David Jones
Curtis Glencross – Matt Stajan – Mason Raymond
Brandon Bollig – Joe Colborne – Paul Byron

TJ Brodie – Mark Giordano
Kris Russell – Dennis Wideman
Raphael Diaz – Deryk Engelland

Jonas Hiller
Karri Ramo

Notes and milestones: Lines via Pat Steinberg of Sportsnet 960 … Calgary has been outscored 99-78 in the first two periods but has outscored its opponents 75-37 in third periods and overtime. The Flames are shooting 6.72% in third periods and overtime this season. … Calgary ranks second in the league with a 9.0% shooting percentage during five-on-five play. … The Flames’ 420 penalty minutes represent the third-lowest total in the league. … Johnny Gaudreau leads all skaters with five points (3-2=5) in the season series. … Calgary has won five games in California this season for the first time since 1995-96. The club’s record for wins in California is six, set in 1992-93 when the Flames won all five games in San Jose. … With an assist on Monday, 24-year-old defenseman TJ Brodie recorded his 32nd point on the season, surpassing his previous career high (31 / 2013-14). Brodie’s +26 rating leads all NHL defensemen. … Calgary is 17-4-1 against the Pacific Division. The 17 intra-divisional wins are an NHL-best. … The Flames’ 15 road wins are the second most in the Western Conference. … Calgary is 13-for-13 on the penalty kill over the last six games.