Game Day #25: Kings @ Canucks Preview

Los Angeles Kings v Vancouver Canucks (Rogers Arena)

Time: 7.00 PM

TV: Fox Sports West

Enemy reading: Canucks Army

Canucks (projected) lineup:

Daniel-Henrik-Kesler
Higgins-Santorelli-Burrows
Booth-Richardson-Hansen
Sestito-Welsh-Weise

Hamhuis-Tanev
Edler-Garrison
Stanton-Bieksa

Luongo

Injured: Jordan Schroeder; Scratched: Zac Dalpe, Nicklas Jensen, Andrew Alberts

Kings (projected) lineup:

Brown-Kopitar-Williams
King-Richards-CARTER???
Carcillo-Stoll-Toffoli
Clifford-Vey/Fraser-Nolan

Muzzin-Doughty
Regehr-Voynov
Mitchell-Martinez

Scrivens

Game notes:

• JEFF CARTER
• The bottom six is an interchangeable mess right now and I have no idea how Darryl Sutter expects Tyler Toffoli to perform beside Dan Carcillo and Jarret Stoll, or even why Colin Fraser exists, but here we are.
• Oh well, nobody cares, because JEFF CARTER.
• Carter's actually a gametime decision tonight. If Carter doesn't play, I expect that Tyler Toffoli will be on the second line. And also that I will cry a little, just quietly.
• The Canucks' bottom six is similarly a bizarre mystery to me. All indications are that David Booth is healthy and ready to play, and that Zack Kassian will be scratched in his stead. I've just slotted Booth into Kassian's place, but Tortorella has been line-juggling lately, so I have no idea if those lines are anywhere close to what we'll see tonight.
• An interesting and depressing thing that somebody pointed out on twitter today is that you can check out the most lopsided games by 5v5 Corsi Close in the season thus far on Extra Skater. In news which shocks none of us, the Kings have lost three of the top ten most dominant Corsi games. That has nothing to do with tonight's game - I just wanted to make you sad.
• The last time I wrote a game preview, the Kings were on a winning streak. Then Robert came and ruined my chart and the Kings lost and I just don't think that's a coincidence. ~Fun With Numbers~:

Team	GP	Points	ROW	Goal Diff	PP%	PK%	S/G	SA/G	CF% (5v5SC)	FF% (5v5SC)	PDO
Kings	24	33 (7th, W)	11	+13 (8th)	18.9 (14th)	83.5 (12th)	31.6 (8th)	25.5 (3rd)	57.0% (2nd)	55.8% (2nd)	995 (16th)
Canucks	25	28 (9th, E)	11	E (15th)	11.5 (28th)	89.2 (1st)	32.8 (3rd)	27.4 (8th)	53.6% (5th)	54.2% (6th)	994 (17th)

• Prediction: Kings win 4-3, and Linden Vey makes Brad Richardson wet his pants - again

More from Jewels From The Crown:

• Avalanche @ Kings: Grades and Analysis
• This Week in Kings (11/25/13)
• Avalanche @ Kings Recap: Kings Lose in Overtime Despite Scrivens' Best Efforts
• Gameday #19: Manchester Monarchs vs Providence Bruins
• Player Power Rankings IV: Dreeeeeeeeeeewwwwwwwwww/