3/30 Preview – Optional Skate Today + Moving On, Facing Edmonton’s Big Guns, Nousiainen ELC

WHO: Los Angeles Kings (36-23-9) vs. Edmonton Oilers (36-28-4)
WHAT: NHL REGULAR-SEASON GAME
WHEN: Wednesday, March 30 @ 6:30 PM Pacific
WHERE: Rogers Place – Edmonton, AB
HOW TO FOLLOW: VIDEO: Bally Sports West – AUDIO – iHeart Radio – TWITTER: @DooleyLAK & @LAKings

TONIGHT’S MATCHUP: The Kings begin a three-game, Western Canada road trip this evening, with their final visit of the season to Edmonton.

HEAD-TO-HEAD: The Kings and Oilers split their first two head-to-head matchups this season, with each team winning on the road. Of those playing tonight, the quartet of Adrian Kempe (2-0-0), Arthur Kaliyev (1-1-2), Trevor Moore (1-1-2) and Viktor Arvidsson (0-2-2) each have two points against Edmonton. The Kings scored three power-play goals last time they visited Edmonton.

KINGS VITALS: Following practice yesterday at home, and a late-afternoon flight to Edmonton, the Kings were back on the ice this morning in advance of tonight’s game versus the Oilers.

After two starts from Cal Petersen in the split against Seattle, expect to see Jonathan Quick between the pipes this evening versus Edmonton. Quick did not take morning skate today, giving an indication of a return to action this evening. Lifetime, Quick is 24-9-5 against the Oilers, with a .924 save percentage and a 2.02 goals-against average. Quick’s 24 victories against the Oilers are his second-most versus a single opponent, one shy of his mark against Anaheim (25).

This morning’s skate was an optional one, though the bulk of the group opted to get on the ice. Looking at this morning’s alignment, the Kings don’t have the luxury of making any changes up front, with only 12 healthy forwards at the moment, but do have two extras on the backend, should they decide to make any personnel changes, or perhaps utilize an 11-7 alignment.

With that being said, here’s an expectation of how the team could shake out this evening, with the pairs listed being what was used this morning –

Iafallo – Kopitar – Kempe
Moore – Danault – Arvidsson
Vilardi – Byfield – Kupari
Grundstrom – Andersson – Kaliyev

Maatta – Stecher
Bjornfot – Durzi
Edler – Spence
Moverare – Strand

Quick
Petersen

Today’s skate gives us the thought that Alex Edler could be ready to return into the lineup, after taking the last few days to get additional reps during practice. Todd McLellan said that there could “possibly” be a lineup change on the backend, but did not commit entirely, so we’ll wait until warmups tonight to know for sure. Edler returned to action earlier this month off of a broken leg, a tall task, and played in four consecutive games, before taking the last two off.

“I’m hoping it helped him. He was disappointed that he didn’t get to play, and that was understandable. Getting some reps, being around the group was important and I’m sure it’s going to help him. We asked him to do something that was virtually impossible, come off a broken leg, without any practice, and play. He’s one guy that can probably pinch hit, and he did a real good job of it, but when we found an opportunity to give him a little bit of time for some reps, we hoped it would help.”

OILERS VITALS: The Oilers have had stretches of up and down play throughout the course of their season, with their recent run no different. Overall, they’ve won seven of their last 13, one game over .500, though that run includes a stretch of five straight wins and another of three straight losses.

Edmonton netminder Mikko Koskinen is expected to get the start this evening for the hosts, his third consecutive nod between the pipes. All-time versus the Kings, Koskinen is 3-2-0, with a .901 save percentage and a 3.47 goals-against average, totals that include LA’s victory here back in December.

Per Bob Stauffer of the Oilers Radio Network, here’s how Edmonton aligned last time out against Arizona –

#Oilers Morning Skate:

Kane-McDavid-Puljujarvi
Hyman-Draisaitl-Yamamoto
Brassard-RNH-Archibald
Foegele-McLeod-Ryan
Shore-Kassian

Nurse-Ceci
Keith-Bouchard
Kulak-Barrie

Koskinen
Smith

— Bob Stauffer (@Bob_Stauffer) March 28, 2022

Edmonton’s only injury at the moment is defenseman Oscar Klefbom, who is on long-term injured reserve with a shoulder injury.

Notes –

Bouncing Back, Moving On
In games following their last 16 regulation losses, the LA Kings are 13-3-0.

That’s a pretty good bounce-back record.

Tonight’s task will not be easy, with trying to bounce back coming on the road against the team nearest to the Kings in the standings, in the Edmonton Oilers. Tonight’s task is also following one of the most disappointing results of the season, Monday’s 6-1 defeat at home against Seattle. When asked today if the team just wiped the game away, or talked about it, McLellan said it was a little bit of both.

“We can say we just wipe it away and move on, but it’s never quite that easy,” McLellan said. “We did address a few things, talked about what went wrong and why it happened. After that, we move forward. We had a bit of a cleanout day yesterday and we know the task that we have today, tomorrow, Saturday and moving forward is not going to be easy, but it hasn’t been easy moving forward the last month and a half. Nothing’s going to change.”

Defenseman Troy Stecher generally agreed.

You do have to discuss the game, and various elements of what happened, but the mindset is about moving forward. There’s no sense in dwelling on a highly disappointing result and letting that result potentially factor into tonight’s game against the Oilers. Move forward, move on.

“There were certain aspects that you have to discuss, you go over some video, but for the most part, understanding where we are as a group, you sweep that one under the rug and you move on,” Stecher said. “We’ve had good success since I’ve been here, only been four games, but that was kind of an odd one.”

Oil Drops
For a team that is still missing four of its six opening-night defensemen, facing Edmonton is quite the challenge. With Edmonton’s ability to roll out Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl on separate lines – and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins on a third line – there’s naturally going to be times when young defensemen like Jordan Spence or Sean Durzi, Jacob Moverare if he plays, will go out and have to play against those players.

One benefit the Kings do have is individuals like Troy Stecher and Alex Edler, longtime Vancouver Canucks, who have faced these individuals several times throughout their careers. Todd McLellan said this morning that there is a help, especially in a verbal way, but you don’t know what it’s like until you experience it.

“It’s real important, but it’s only verbal,” McLellan said. “Some visual, but until you go out and feel what it’s like to play against Connor, Leon, Nuge, the group as a whole, you don’t quite get it. We played Toby Bjornfot here, a couple of years ago, and tried to prepare him for it, but it was was like wow, I get it now. You have to experience it. A lot of our young D will get that tonight, and they’ll hold their own, they’ll do what they need to do.”

The game McLellan referenced was Bjornfot’s NHL debut back in 2019. Fresh off of being selected in the first round of the draft, Bjornfot was thrust into action on night one against those players, partnering Drew Doughty to open the game. The experience was certainly eye-opening, with preparation only taking you so far.

As McLellan said, he believes the younger defensemen are up for the challenge.

Stecher was inclined to agree. He’s been through it, he understands the magnitude of the task, but at the same time, he pointed out that those are the matchups that you want to take on. To be great, you have to play against great players. A good note from this morning.

“I don’t really think there’s much to teach, I think everyone in the hockey world knows how good those two individuals are, how much they carry this organization and the success that they have,” he said. “You face the Oilers, you have your hands full. It’s going to be a challenge but if you want to be a good player, you have to be able to face that challenge, you have to embrace it. I think everybody’s up for it and excited.”

Without those regulars, it will be up to others to step in and answer the challenge.

Nousiainen ELC
Lastly, some organizational news from today.

The Kings have signed defenseman Kim Nousiainen to an entry-level contract. Nousiainen’s deal will begin next fall, with the 2022-23 season and he’ll finish this year on an ATO with the AHL’s Ontario Reign.

More on Nousiainen HERE, but speaking with Mark Yannetti last summer, Nousiainen was his answer when asked which “under the radar” prospect was someone that we should be talking about more. Loved his competitiveness and his two-way traits, noting he’s excelled and surpassed barriers at every level to date. Noted he is undersized, but believes he has the toolkit to overcome it.

He prefaced this with the notion that this comparison is stylistic, not a long-term comparison necessarily, but says that Nousiainen plays the same style of game as longtime NHL defenseman Kimmo Timonen. Kings European Scout Christian Ruuttu made the same comparable. Now, that’s a lofty comparison, that creates unrealistic expectations, but that’s the style of defenseman the Kings are signing. Good stuff all around.

I asked Mark Yannetti last summer which "under the radar" prospect he thinks we should watch out for, or be talking about more.

He answered Kim Nousiainen. Very impressed with him and what he's done in the top league in Finland, loved his competitiveness and two-way game. https://t.co/CbkGy1u9SQ

— Zach Dooley (@DooleyLAK) March 30, 2022

Kings and Oilers, tonight at 6:30 PM Pacific time from the Great White North. Big one, Insiders!