Game 58 Preview: Los Angeles at Nashville

Los Angeles Kings (33-20-4) at Nashville Predators (27-21-10)
Saturday, February 18, 2016, 5:00 p.m. PT
Bridgestone Arena, Nashville, TN
Referees: #5 Chris Rooney, #17 Frederick L’Ecuyer
Linesmen: #87 Devin Berg, #95 Jonny Murray
FOX Sports West, KABC 790 AM, I Heart Radio

Los Angeles Projected Starting Goaltender – Jonathan Quick
2015-16: 46 GP (46 GS) / 28-15-3 record / 2.22 GAA / .919 Sv% / 3 SHO
Career vs Nashville: 13 (13) / 3-7-2 / 2.91 / .886 / 0
Last Game vs Nashville: 10/31/15 / 65 MP / 31-34 shots / 4-3 OTW
2015-16, Away: 21 (21) / 14-5-2 / 2.05 / .933 / 2

Nashville Projected Starting Goaltender: Pekka Rinne
2015-16: 47 GP (47 GS) / 21-18-8 record / 2.51 GAA / .901 Sv% / 3 SHO
Career vs Los Angeles: 18 (18) / 10-6-2 / 2.87 / .890 / 1
Last Game vs Los Angeles: 10/31/15 / 65 MP / 25-29 shots / 3-4 OTL
2015-16, Home: 26 (26) / 14-9-3 / 2.23 / .913 / 3

2015-16 Los Angeles Leaders
Total Points: Anze Kopitar (17-34=51)
Goals: Tyler Toffoli (24-19=43)
Assists: Anze Kopitar (17-34=51)
Plus/Minus: Tyler Toffoli (+24; 24-19=43)
Penalty Minutes: Milan Lucic (68; 14-22=36)
Time On Ice: Drew Doughty (28:12; 11-26=37)
Corsi-For Percentage: Nick Shore (61.7%; 3-5=8)

2015-16 Nashville Leaders
Total Points: Roman Josi (11-31=42), Ryan Johansen (10-32=42)
Goals: James Neal (21-14=35)
Assists: Ryan Johansen (10-32=42), Mike Ribeiro (6-32=38)
Plus/Minus: James Neal (+17; 21-14=35)
Penalty Minutes: Barret Jackman (69; 1-4=5)
Time On Ice: Roman Josi (25:10; 11-31=42)
Corsi-For Percentage: Barret Jackman (56.6%; 1-4=5)

Rankings and Statistics
Goals/Game: LAK – 12 / 2.68; NSH – t-16 / 2.60
Goals Against/Game: LAK – 6 / 2.35; NSH – t-15 / 2.60
Power Play: LAK – 3 / 22.5%; NSH – t-10 / 19.6%
Penalty Kill: LAK – t-11 / 82.1%; NSH – 23 / 79.4%
Shots/Game: LAK – 2 / 32.6; NSH – t-10 / 30.3
Shots Against/Game: LAK – 6 / 28.1; NSH – t-1 / 26.5
Faceoffs: LAK – t-12 / 50.1%; NSH – t-21 / 49.5%
Save Percentage: LAK – 9 / .916; NSH – t-24 / .902
Corsi-For Percentage: LAK – 1 / 56.4%; NSH – 3 / 53.3%

Los Angeles Projected Lines

Milan Lucic – Jeff Carter – Tyler Toffoli
Kyle Clifford – Vincent Lecavalier – Trevor Lewis
Dwight King – Nick Shore – Dustin Brown
Tanner Pearson – Andy Andreoff – Michael Mersch

Jake Muzzin – Drew Doughty
Alec Martinez – Luke Schenn
Brayden McNabb – Jamie McBain

Jonathan Quick
Jhonas Enroth

Notes and milestones: Los Angeles is 30-24-8 all-time against Nashville, a record that includes an away mark of 15-10-5. The Kings are 1-0-0 against the Predators this season, having won 4-3 in overtime in the teams’ lone Staples Center appearance on October 31. These teams will conclude their season series on March 21 at Bridgestone Arena. … Los Angeles is 18-11-2 against the Western Conference and 7-4-2 against the Central Division. … The Kings have been held to one goal or less for three straight games. Only twice this year has Los Angeles been held to one goal or less in consecutive games: The first three games of the season, and the most recent three games. Over the last 16 games the Kings have scored 47 goals (2.94 G/GP) and have allowed 46 goals (2.88 GA/GP). … Over the last eight games, Los Angeles is 9-for-27 on the power play (33.3%). … Dustin Brown has nine points (4-5=9) in the last 11 games. With 465 career points (215-250=465), he is one point behind Charlie Simmer (466 points) for 10th place overall on the team’s all-time list. With 250 career assists, he is one assist from surpassing Mark Hardy for 11th place overall on the team’s all-time lsit. … With 98 career points (26-62=98), Alec Martinez is two points shy of 100 in his career. … Milan Lucic has six points (2-4=6) in the last six games. … Jeff Carter has one goal in his last 14 games. With 297 career goals, he is three shy of 300. In 20 career games against Nashville, he has 14 goals and 23 points. … Trevor Lewis is expected to play his 400th career game tonight. … Drew Doughty ranks third in the league with a TOI average of 28:12.

Nashville Projected Lines

Calle Jarnkrok – Ryan Johansen – James Neal
Filip Forsberg – Mike Ribeiro – Craig Smith
Colin Wilson – Mike Fisher – Viktor Arvidsson
Miikka Salomaki – Paul Gaustad – Austin Watson

Roman Josi – Shea Weber
Mattias Ekholm – Ryan Ellis
Barret Jackman – Anthony Bitetto

Pekka Rinne
Carter Hutton

Notes and milestones: Nashville is 15-13-5 against the Western Conference and 9-2-2 against the Pacific Division. … The Predators are 3-10 in games that extend past regulation and 1-9 in games decided in overtime. … Nashville has outscored its opponents 44-33 and outshot them 614-482 in first periods this season. On Thursday, the Predators scored twice in the first period and held on to defeat the Bruins at Bridgestone Arena, 2-0. They have outscored their opponents 6-0 in first periods over the last five games. … Nashville has killed off 10 consecutive power plays. … In the 18 games since he joined the Predators, Ryan Johansen leads the team with 16 points (4-12=16). … With 181 power-play points (77g-104a), Shea Weber is one point away from tying Kimmo Timonen (46-136=182) for the top spot on the all-time franchise list. … Nashville defensemen lead the league with 40 goals from the back end. … Ryan Ellis has points in four straight games against the Kings (3-2=5).