Los Angeles Kings v St Louis Blues (Scottrade Center)
Time: 5.00 PM
TV: NHL Network, Fox Sports West
Enemy reading: St. Louis Game Time
Blues (projected) lineup:
Steen-Backes-Stewart
Sobotka-Perron-Tarasenko
McDonald-Berglund-Oshie
Porter-Nichol-Schwartz
Jackman-Pietrangelo
Redden-Shattenkirk
Russell-Polak
Halak
Injured: Langenbrunner (hip)
Kings (projected) lineup:
Brown-Kopitar-Williams
Richards-Carter-Toffoli
King-Lewis-Stoll
Clifford-Fraser-Nolan
Muzzin-Doughty
Scuderi-Voynov
Ellerby-Martinez
Quick
Injured: Greene (back), Mitchell (knee)
Game notes:
- It’s been so long since the Kings played, I can’t even remember the last game against the Blues.
- Just kidding – I totally can, and it was awesome. For forty minutes. If the Kings let themselves get behind again and have to stage another improbable comeback, I will be so mad. How many times has this team scored the first goal? Not enough times. (There’s a #fancystat for ya.)
- Based on what I saw on twitter, Tyler Toffoli stays in and Dustin Penner stays out for tonight. Toffoli’s been holding his own and has earned more games, I think. But Penner is not worse than Jordan Nolan. and I would Have Words with Darryl Sutter about this if I could.
- Jonathan Quick continues to be a riddle wrapped in a mystery inside an enigma. He pulled out the win against the Blackhawks, but things looked pretty dicey on some of those goals. Will he be good or inexplicably terrible tonight? Why didn’t he say anything hilariously inappropriate at the White House? Mysteries!
- The Blues had a losing streak. Then they had a winning streak. Now, apparently, they’ve been losing again? They lost 3-0 to the Edmonton Oilers on Tuesday night, and I guess any time you get shut out by the Edmonton Oilers, you should start asking yourselves some questions. The Blues had a series of long, closed-door meetings after the loss, so it remains to be seen how they will react.
- The last time these teams met, the Blues were pretty banged up. Alex Steen, Andy McDonald, and Vladimir Tarasenko have all returned to the lineup since then. Meanwhile, Matt D’Agostini got traded, and Jake Allen decided to be good again. David Backes still sucks, though.
- I’m pretty sure the Chicagoan President of the United States is rooting for the Kings tonight, so that’s kinda neat. Go Kings Go.