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Preseason Game Day #5: Ducks @ Kings

Posted on by Eric Kveton

Anaheim Ducks @ Los Angeles Kings (Staples Center)

Time: 7:30 PM PST

TV: Prime Ticket, NHL Network

Radio: KABC 790, I Heart Radio

Enemy Reading: Anaheim Calling

Lineups:

Los Angeles Kings:

Lucic–Carter–Lewis
King–Shore–Toffoli
Pearson–Weal–Mersch
Clifford–Andreoff–Nolan

Martinez–Doughty
Schultz–Ehrhoff
McNabb–McBain

Enroth
(Quick)

Injured: Muzzin, Greene; Scratched: Brown, Kopitar, Gaborik, O’Neill, Forbort, LoVerde

Anaheim Ducks (updated):

Sekac–Rakell–Perry
Cogliano–Kesler–Silfverberg
Ritchie–Wagner–Stewart
Friberg–Horcoff–Santorelli

Lindholm–Bieksa
Fowler–Despres
Manson–Vatanen

Khudobin
(Andersen)

Injured: Stoner; Scratched: Getzlaf, Hagelin, Maroon, Thompson, Holzer, Piskula

Game Notes:

  • Corey Perry, who was selling popcorn the last time LA faced Anaheim, is in the lineup tonight. Ryan Getzlaf, like his fellow #1 center Anze Kopitar, sits.
  • We also don’t get to see Carl Hagelin in a Ducks jersey tonight; I’d be fine if that was the case every time LA faced the Ducks. He’s scary.
  • In the teams’ last game, the Ducks triumphed 2-1 in what was a fairly even contest. The game-winner came with seconds left in the second period on a deflection with a high stick, which I would be REALLY BITTER about if it mattered. (I was still kind of bitter.)
  • The McPair!
  • Darryl Sutter might have used this game as an opportunity to get Derek Forbort some minutes, but with both Matt Greene and Jake Muzzin out with injuries, he’s giving Jeff Schultz and Jamie McBain the start instead. That makes it all but clear who the contenders for an Opening Night/injury replacement roster spot are; for the waiver-eligible Forbort, it’ll be another couple months. (By that time, it’s likely that either Schultz or McBain will be in Manchester, and Forbort might get his long-awaited NHL debut if another injury strikes.)
  • Jordan Weal and Michael Mersch, on the other hand, ARE getting time tonight. For Mersch, it’s a reward before he (presumably) returns to Manchester; for Weal, it’s probably a chance to solidify that spot on the 23-man roster. We’re probably looking at only 7 defensemen on the Opening Night roster, which means 14 forwards; the 11 in tonight’s lineup (aside from Mersch), Brown, Gaborik, and Kopitar.
  • (Sheng mentioned the other day that the waiver-exempt Nick Shore could hypothetically be sent down to save O’Neill and/or Weal from waivers, which is an interesting possibility even if neither of us thinks it will happen.)
  • I’m not encouraged that Weal continues to skate with Mersch instead of potential fourth-line companions, though. That screams “press box.”
  • In goal, it’s the backups. Isn’t the preseason exciting, you guys?
  • PREDICTION: The Clifford-Andreoff-Nolan line combines for eight points.

Talking Points