Game 78 Preview: Los Angeles vs Dallas

Los Angeles Kings (46-26-5) vs Dallas Stars (47-22-9)
Saturday, April 2, 2016, 1:00 p.m. PT
Staples Center, Los Angeles, CA
Referees: #9 Dan O’Rourke, #24 Graham Skilliter
Linesmen: #94 Bryan Pancich, #77 Tim Nowak
FOX Sports West, KABC 790 AM, I Heart Radio

Los Angeles Projected Starting Goaltender – Jonathan Quick
2015-16: 64 GP (64 GS) / 39-21-4 record / 2.20 GAA / .919 Sv% / 5 SHO
Career vs Dallas: 26 (25) / 17-7-2 / 2.42 / .914 / 2
Last Game vs Dallas: 1/19/16 / 60 MP / 27-29 shots / 3-2 W
2015-16, Home: 36 (36) / 23-11-2 / 2.22 / .910 / 2

Dallas Projected Starting Goaltender – Kari Lehtonen
2015-16: 41 GP (37 GS) / 23-10-2 record / 2.81 GAA / .906 Sv% / 2 SHO
Career vs Los Angeles: 24 (24) / 12-10-1 / 2.69 / .910 / 2
Last Game vs Los Angeles: 3/15/16 / 21 MP / 7-11 shots / 2-5 L
2015-16, Away: 20 (19) / 11-4-2 / 2.08 / .912 / 0

2015-16 Los Angeles Leaders
Total Points: Anze Kopitar (25-45=70)
Goals: Tyler Toffoli (29-25=54)
Assists: Anze Kopitar (25-45=70)
Plus/Minus: Tyler Toffoli (+33; 29-25=54)
Penalty Minutes: Brayden McNabb (90; 2-11=13)
Time On Ice: Drew Doughty (28:00; 14-35=49)
Corsi-For Percentage: Nick Shore (60.9%; 3-7=10)

2015-16 Dallas Leaders
Total Points: Jamie Benn (40-47=87)
Goals: Jamie Benn (40-47=87)
Assists: Jamie Benn (40-47=87)
Plus/Minus: John Klingberg (+21; 10-46=56), Alex Goligoski (+21; 5-31=36)
Penalty Minutes: Antoine Roussel (117; 12-16=28)
Time On Ice: Alex Goligoski (23:53; 5-31=36)
Corsi-For Percentage: John Klingberg (55.4%; 10-46=56)

Rankings and Statistics
Goals/Game: LAK – t-13 / 2.71; DAL – 1 / 3.26
Goals Against/Game: LAK – 2 / 2.31; DAL – 20 / 2.81
Power Play: LAK – 8 / 20.9%; DAL – 4 / 21.9%
Penalty Kill: LAK – 15 / 81.3%; DAL – 13 / 81.8%
Shots/Game: LAK – t-2 / 32.1; DAL – t-2 / 32.1
Shots Against/Game: LAK – t-3 / 27.5; DAL – 11 / 29.1
Faceoffs: LAK – 14 / 50.2%; DAL – 13 / 50.3%
Save Percentage: LAK – 9 / .916; DAL – t-24 / .904
Corsi-for Percentage: LAK – 1 / 56.3% / DAL – 5 / 52.4%

Los Angeles Projected Lineup

Tanner Pearson – Anze Kopitar – Dustin Brown
Milan Lucic – Jeff Carter – Tyler Toffoli
Dwight King – Vincent Lecavalier – Kris Versteeg
Kyle Clifford – Nic Dowd – Trevor Lewis

Brayden McNabb – Drew Doughty
Jake Muzzin – Alec Martinez
Rob Scuderi – Luke Schenn

Jonathan Quick
Jhonas Enroth

Notes and milestones: Los Angeles is 86-101-40 all-time against the Dallas franchise, a record that includes a home mark of 51-40-22. With a record of 2-0-0 thus far against the Stars, the Kings clinched a winning record in the season series for the first time since the 2011-12 season. … Los Angeles is 26-17-2 against the Western Conference and 10-7-2 against the Central Division. … With 46 wins, the Kings have tied the franchise record for wins in a season (five times; last: 2013-14). … In the race for the Jennings Trophy, Washington leads with 179 goals allowed (in 77 games played). Following the Capitals are the Kings (180 GA / 77 GP), Ducks (184 GA / 77 GP) and Lightning (185 GA / 77 GP). … Los Angeles is 10-1-1 in its last 12 home games. … Including playoffs, the Kings have sold out Staples Center 199 consecutive times. Today’s game against Dallas will mark the 200th consecutive sellout. … In 32 games since January 24, Drew Doughty has seven goals, 25 points and a +12 rating. … Jeff Carter has seven points (4-3=7) in the last four games. … With 39 wins, Jonathan Quick is one win from surpassing his career-high and the Kings’ record of wins in a single season by a goaltender. … With his 34 assists, Milan Lucic is one assist shy of his career-high of 35 (twice; last: 2013-14). … With 31 assists, Jake Muzzin is one assist from surpassing his career-high, set in 2014-15. … With 10 goals, Alec Martinez is one goal from tying his career high of 11, set in 2013-14. … Brayden McNabb has assists in three straight games (0-4=4), tying a career-long streak. The last time he recorded assists in three straight games was between November 22-26, 2014. … Tyler Toffoli leads the NHL with a +33 rating, while Anze Kopitar ranks second at +32. With 29 goals, Toffoli is one goal from becoming the first King with 30 goals in a season since Kopitar scored 34 in 2009-10.

Dallas Projected Lines

Jamie Benn – Cody Eakin – Patrick Sharp
Mattias Janmark – Jason Spezza – Valeri Nichushkin
Antoine Roussel – Radek Faksa – Ales Hemsky
Travis Moen – Vernon Fiddler – Patrick Eaves

Alex Goligoski – John Klingberg
Patrik Nemeth – Jordie Benn
Johnny Oduya – Stephen Johns

Kari Lehtonen
Antti Niemi

Notes and milestones: Lines via DailyFaceoff.com … Via Mike Heika of the Dallas Morning News, the Stars are expected to be without forwards Brett Ritchie (lower body) and Tyler Seguin and defensemen Kris Russell and Jason Demers (shoulder). … Dallas, which plays in Anaheim on Sunday, is 6-2-3 on the first day of back-to-back sets. … The Stars and North Stars’ 109 all-time wins against Los Angeles represents the most wins by that franchise against any other NHL team. … Patrick Sharp has 37 points (20-17=37) in 32 career games against Los Angeles. … Dallas has won three straight games and is 6-1-0 in its last seven games. … The Stars’ 23 empty net goals have set a single season NHL record. … Dallas has killed off 20-of-21 power play opportunities and is 38-for-40 (95.0%) over its last 13 games. … With 699 career wins, Lindy Ruff is one win shy of 700 in his career. … The Stars are the first team to have three 30-goal scorers in one season (Spezza/Benn/Seguin) since New Jersey (Kovalchuk/Parise/Clarkson) and San Jose (Couture/Pavelski/Marleau) in 2011-12. … Ales Hemsky has points in six straight games (2-5=7). … John Klingberg ranks second in the NHL amongst defensemen with 46 assists. … With 298 goals, Jason Spezza is two goals shy of 300 in his career.