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Kings-Oilers Game Preview: at least we don't have Ryan Smyth

"My family is safe, and that's what's important." -Ryan Smyth, Manhattan Beach refugee

Time: 1.00 PM

TV: NHL Network, Fox Sports West

Enemy reading: Copper and Blue

Oilers (projected) lineup:

Hall-Nugent-Hopkins-Eberle
Paajarvi-Gagner-Hemsky
Jones-Horcoff-Yakupov
Brown-Smyth-Petrell

Smid-Petry
N Schultz-J Schultz
Whitney-Potter

Dubnyk

Injured: Sutton (knee), Belanger (groin)

Kings (projected) lineup:

Brown-Kopitar-Williams
Clifford-Richards-Carter
King-Lewis-Stoll
Richardson-Fraser-Nolan

Muzzin-Doughty
Scuderi-Voynov
Regehr-Ellerby

Quick

Injured: Greene (back), Mitchell (knee), Penner (upper body)

Game notes:

After a nice five-game win streak, the Oilers got dumped 4-0 by the Canucks on Thursday. Good thing they acquired Jerred Smithson, who might be one of the worst players in the NHL. Also, "Jerred" is a stupid name.
With Dustin Penner's injury, Jordan Nolan is back in the lineup, and Brad Richardson and Dwight King spent last game flipping between the third and fourth lines. I don't know why Tyler Toffoli isn't playing? Free Tyler Toffoli??

Fun with numbers:

As you can see, the Oilers are pretty good on special teams. The Kings have been noticeably more disciplined about taking dumb penalties lately - staying that way this afternoon will be even more important than usual.
Robyn Regehr looked (to these non-scoring-chance-counting eyes) not bad in his Kings debut against the Wild. I still didn't love the amount of time he spent in a pairing with Drew Doughty, and I'm a bit concerned about the stability of the defensive pairings, but who knows what will happen tonight.
Jonathan Bernier was great against Minnesota. The ongoing mystery of whether good Jonathan Quick or terrible Jonathan Quick will show up for the game today continues.
Please, please, please don't get to a shootout.
Go Kings Go.