Kings face back-to-back challenge

The Western Conference playoff race rolls on tonight. Of course, the Kings host the Nashville Predators tonight. The Kings held an optional morning skate this morning, so it’s not certain whether Jonathan Bernier or Jonathan Quick will get the start tonight. Elsewhere, the New York Rangers host the eighth-place Colorado Avalanche (4 p.m. Pacific time) and the ninth-place San Jose Sharks host the fourth-place Detroit Red Wings. The Kings got some help last night, when Dallas and Calgary both lost, but Darryl Sutter quickly cut off a question about the Kings getting a rare dose of good news from around the league…

SUTTER: “Take care of ourselves. That’s the way it works. You’ve got to win every game. If you don’t… If we play (tonight) and we don’t get points, and everybody else does, then you’re saying the opposite thing, right? Every game has a life of its own, and you have to be able to play within yourself, and max out what you have.’’

The Kings face a tough challenge tonight, as they play the second of back-to-back games. The Kings have a 4-5-4 record in such situations this season, while the Predators have been playing well, with a 4-1-1 record in their last six games.

SUTTER: “We tried to approach (the Anaheim game) like it was a home game. We know what kind of opponent we have. It’s a tough opponent. When you look at our schedule, like I’ve said before, there’s no weak sisters. It’s tough sledding.’’