Game Day Watch, 11/7: Los Angeles Kings @ Anaheim Ducks

HOW TO WATCH

Game Time: 7:00 PM
TV: NBCSN
Radio: KABC AM 790
Stream: NBC Sports Go (requires cable subscription)

WHAT TO WATCH FOR

if you’re a Kings fan: LA has hit a cold streak, in that they’ve only gotten three points out of their last three games. LA’s still managing to find goals, even if that meant getting three goals in the third from players who had combined for one goal up to that point. With Jeff Carter out (remember?) it helps to have as many players as possible chipping in. Derek Forbort, Oscar Fantenberg, Brooks Laich, and Andy Andreoff: I’m counting on you for a goal tonight!

if you’re a Ducks fan: Today, the Ducks announced that Ryan Getzlaf would be out for the next two months after undergoing surgery to repair his zygomatic bone. Courtesy of Wikipedia, here is a picture of that bone.

The Ducks got to avoid facing the Kings for the season’s first month, but instead of emerging from their nightmarish woes during that time, they’ve simply had new guys get hurt as the previously injured ones came back. Read the preview later today to see the lines, but it’s safe to say there will be guys you don’t know very well. Depth is being put to use.

if you’re a hockey fan: It’s the last game of the day and it’s the damn Freeway Faceoff. What, you’d rather watch the second half of Vancouver and Calgary? Forget it.

PLAYERS TO WATCH

for the Kings: Drew Doughty. John Stevens has been remarkably restrained with his usage of Doughty this season, but in his last three games he played 29:24, 29:54, and on Saturday against Nashville, a whopping 31:40. That’s the most ice time any NHL skater has seen in a game this season. Expect heavy doses of him tonight.

for the Ducks: Rickard Rakell. With no real #1 center and few top-end scorers in the lineup, the young Swede is being leaned on in a major way. Rakell played nearly nineteen minutes in a loss to San Jose on Saturday, and that was low for him; he’s averaging 20:39 a game this season. Expect heavy doses of him tonight.

LEAGUE/WORLDWIDE WATCH

• Speaking of Anaheim, they apparently tried to solve that center shortage by trading for Vadim Shipachyov. [Anaheim Calling]
• You know what the Chicago Blackhawks really needed? Another outdoor game. [SB Nation]
• Clayton Keller beat out Adrian Kempe for the NHL’s Rookie of the Month award, which is fair; he has been pretty remarkable. [Five for Howling]/

WATCH THIS

Kale Clague (three assists) and Jaret Anderson-Dolan (no points, but he played!) helped the WHL dominate Russia 7-0 in the first game of the 2017 CIBC Canada Russia Series.