Game 76 Preview: Los Angeles at Chicago

Los Angeles Kings (37-24-14) at Chicago Blackhawks (45-24-6)
Monday, March 30, 2015, 5:30 p.m. PT
United Center, Chicago, IL
Referees: #29 Ian Walsh, #10 Paul Devorski
Linesmen: #73 Vaughan Rody, #84 Tony Sericolo
NBC Sports Network, KABC 790 AM

Los Angeles Projected Starting Goaltender – Jonathan Quick
2014-15: 66 GP (65 GS) / 33-20-12 record / 2.28 GAA / .916 Sv% / 6 SHO
Career vs Chicago: 21 (20) / 10-6-4 / 2.79 / .908 / 2
Last Game vs Chicago: 1/28/15 / 60 MP / 26-29 shots / 4-3 W
2014-15, Away: 31 (31) / 13-12-6 / 2.58 / .908 / 1

Chicago Projected Starting Goaltender – Scott Darling*
2014-15: 11 GP (10 GS) / 7-3-0 record / 1.84 GAA / .939 Sv% / 1 SHO
Career vs Los Angeles: First appearance
Last Game vs Los Angeles: First appearance
2014-15, Home: 4 (3) / 2-1-0 / 1.07 / .963 / 0
*The Blackhawks have not named a starter and did not hold a full morning skate prior to the second game of a back-to-back set. Presumably we’ll learn the starting goalie when Joel Quenneville meets with the media at 5:30 p.m.

2014-15 Los Angeles Leaders
Total Points: Anze Kopitar (16-44=60)
Goals: Jeff Carter (26-30=56)
Assists: Anze Kopitar (16-44=60)
Plus/Minus: Tyler Toffoli (+22; 22-22=44)
Penalty Minutes: Kyle Clifford (83; 6-8=14)
Time On Ice: Drew Doughty (29:05; 5-36=41)
Corsi-For Percentage: Andrej Sekera (60.8%; 3-20=23)

2014-15 Chicago Leaders
Total Points: Patrick Kane (27-37=64)*
Goals: Patrick Kane (27-37=64)*
Assists: Patrick Kane (27-37=64)*, Jonathan Toews (25-37=62)
Plus/Minus: Jonathan Toews (+27; 25-37=62)
Penalty Minutes: Andrew Shaw (61; 14-8=22)
Time On Ice: Duncan Keith (25:34; 8-35=43)
Corsi-For Percentage: David Rundblad (54.7%; 3-10=13)
*On Injured Reserve; active leader is Jonathan Toews (25-37=62)

Rankings and Statistics
Goals/Game: LAK – 19 / 2.64; CHI – 16 / 2.72
Goals Against/Game: LAK – 5 / 2.41; CHI – 2 / 2.29
Power Play: LAK – 15 / 18.6%; CHI – t-17 / 18.2%
Penalty Kill: LAK – 17 / 81.1%; CHI – 5 / 84.5%
Shots/Game: LAK – t-10 / 30.8; CHI – 1 / 33.9
Shots Against/Game: LAK – 1 / 27.0; CHI – 20 / 30.1
Faceoffs: LAK – 11 / 51.5%; CHI – 5 / 52.0%
Save Percentage: LAK – t-13 / .911; CHI – 2 / .924
Corsi-For Percentage: LAK – 1 / 55.0%; CHI – 3 / 53.4%

Los Angeles Projected Lines

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

Jake Muzzin – Drew Doughty
Robyn Regehr – Andrej Sekera
Alec Martinez – Matt Greene

Jonathan Quick
Martin Jones

Level of confidence in projected lines: B+. The Kings didn’t hold a full morning skate, so no line rushes were held. The alignment above is based on groupings at yesterday’s practice and the previous four games on this road trip. Jonathan Quick left the ice first at the morning skate and is expected to start in net.

Notes and milestones: Los Angeles is 78-85-22 all-time against Chicago, a record that includes a road mark of 37-45-11. The Kings are 1-1-0 thus far in the season series and 3-6-1 in their last 10 visits to the United Center. … Los Angeles is 21-12-10 against the Western Conference and 9-7-3 against the Central Division. … The Kings are 6-1-1 in their last eight road games. … Los Angeles is 13-9-14 in one-goal games and 24-15 in games decided by two goals or more. … In 17 regular season and playoff games against Chicago, Tyler Toffoli has eight goals, 15 points and a 57.0% raw Corsi rating (211 CF / 159 CA). … Dating back to February 7, Jonathan Quick is 16-5-2 with a 1.81 GAA, a .930 Sv% and three shutouts. (1322:22 min / 574 shots against / 534 saves). … Anze Kopitar has 15 points (4-11=15) in his last 13 games and eight points (2-6=8) in his last six games. He leads the club with 23 power play points (6-17=23), six points more than any other King. … With 198 career assists, Drew Doughty is two assists shy of 200 in his career. … Jeff Carter leads all skaters in the season series with three points (2-1=3). He has points in three straight games (1-2=3). … Marian Gaborik has 28 points (12-16=28) and a plus-13 rating in 28 career games against Chicago.

Chicago Projected Lines

Kris Versteeg – Jonathan Toews – Marian Hossa
Patrick Sharp – Brad Richards – Antoine Vermette
Bryan Bickell – Andrew Shaw – Brandon Saad
Andrew Desjardins – Marcus Kruger – Kyle Baun

Johnny Oduya – Niklas Hjalmarsson
Duncan Keith – David Rundblad
Kimmo Timonen – Brent Seabrook

Scott Darling
Corey Crawford

Notes and milestones: Lines via NHL.com correspondent Brian Hedger … Patrick Kane will miss his 15th game with a fractured clavicle. Via Hedger, Joakim Norstrom (upper-body), Daniel Carcillo (upper-body), Teuvo Teravainen, Michal Rozsival and Michael Paliotta could be scratched tonight. … Chicago is 32-8-2 when scoring first, 25-2-0 when leading after the first period and 23-0-0 when leading after two periods this season. … The Blackhawks have received the second-fewest penalty minutes in the NHL this season (7.3). … With 247 career goals, Patrick Sharp is three goals shy of 250. He has 36 points (20-16=36) in 30 career games against the Kings. … The Blackhawks are expected to play in front of their 315th consecutive sell-out tonight (267 regular season / 48 playoffs). … Chicago is 7-5-1 on the second night of back-to-back sets.