Los Angeles Kings v Phoenix Coyotes (Staples Center)
Time: 7.30 PM
TV: Fox Sports West
Seats: Los Angeles Kings tickets
Enemy reading: Five for Howling
Coyotes (projected) lineup:
Boedker-Hanzal-Sullivan
Torres-Lombardi-Doan
Korpikoski-Vermette-Moss
Chipchura-Gordon-Bissonnette
Klesla-Ekman-Larsson
Yandle-Morris
Schlemko-Stone
Smith
Injured: Michalek (upper body), Vrbata (foot)
Kings (projected) lineup):
Brown-Kopitar-Williams
Richards-Carter-Toffoli
Lewis-Stoll-King
Clifford-Fraser-Penner
Muzzin-Doughty
Scuderi-Voynov
Martinez-Ellerby
Bernier
Injured: Greene (back), Mitchell (knee)
Game notes:
(brief & superficial because I have a filing deadline – sorry)
- As Eric noted in his recap, the Kings didn’t exactly kill the Coyotes last night. Phoenix pressed hard and played decently for stretches – they deserved better than a 4-0 score, but haha too bad.
- I just threw up the lines the Coyotes used last night, but I would expect Dave Tippett to switch things up a bit, and maybe unleash Rob Klinkhammer from the pressbox.
- Tyler Toffoli scored last night, which was nice but also a little bit expected, given the kinds of looks he got the previous game against San Jose. What I thought was also noteworthy is that Jake Muzzin got a goal last night too. His scoring rate is pretty unsustainable, but what a nice shot from the kid.
- The power play is, in the words of a bro I know, totally crushing it right now. After a miserable start to the season, the PP is now at 22.9%, climbing from 29th or 28th or something terrible, to 9th in the League. The penalty kill…well. It misses Matt Greene and Willie Mitchell, is all I’ll say about that.
- Drew Doughty can’t buy a goal but at least he can do this.
- Jonathan Quick had a couple of little mishaps and adventures last night, but locked it down on most of the Coyotes’ prime scoring chances. It was nice to see, but still, it’s a back-to-back, and I hope Jonathan Bernier’s starting tonight.
- After last night, I’m with the Jeff Carter needs to stop passing crowd. Dustin Penner back to the second line, Toffoli to the third, Dwight King to the fourth? Discuss.
- Go Kings Go