Game preview (Dec. 12)

If you need to catch up on today’s news, check out my LAKings.com notebook and/or the game preview from NHL.com.

Mike Heika, the always-informed beat reporter for the Dallas Morning News, reports that Alex Auld is expected to start in goal for the Stars. Auld started against the Kings and allowed five goals on 31 shots in an overtime loss on Oct. 22.

Finally, here’s what Terry Murray said this morning about having to replace Wayne Simmonds…

MURRAY: “It’s significant. When you lose a player that’s playing on your top three lines on a regular basis, and having an impact on the game, you’ll notice it almost immediately. Simmer has been playing well. He’s hard, he’s gritty. He’s been doing really good things with the puck, making plays. Has a presence in every game that he’s been playing. But as I’ve mentioned in the past, with Ryan Smyth, you don’t lose all of Wayne Simmonds. There’s a player that’s going to fill into that position. So you lose the difference. You’re hoping to minimize the difference, but there’s no question that his lack of presence will be noticed by all of us. He’s been a good player for us.”