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Preseason Preview #2: Los Angeles Kings vs. Vegas Golden Knights/Vancouver Canucks

HOW TO WATCH LISTEN

Home
Game Time: 7:30 PM Pacific
TV: Nope
Radio: iHeartRadio
Stream: Nope
The Opposition: Knights on Ice

Away
Game Time: 7:00 PM Pacific
TV: SN1 (Canada); NHL Network replay, Friday, 5:00 AM Pacific
Radio: Possibly nope.
Stream: Nope
The Opposition: Nucks Misconduct

WHO AND WHAT TO WATCH LISTEN FOR

  • In Arizona, we learned that even if Jeff Carter still thinks he has a little ways to go to be truly 100%, he still is a game-changer. With the game not being streamed anywhere, we only have stats to go by, but he was one of the team’s leaders in fancy stats (58.33% Corsi for at even strength), played over 21 minutes (with about 11 of those being special teams work), had six shots (five on the power play), and scored the Kings’ only two goals. We missed you, Jeff.
  • Jaret Anderson-Dolan’s being tested out at wing tonight; he’ll skate on Jeff Carter’s right in Los Angeles. Anderson-Dolan’s acquitted himself well as a center so far, but seeing how he works at wing could give the Kings extra options in the future. While it’s still all but certain that he’ll be returning to juniors before the start of the NHL season, seeing his versatility in action may make it easier to find a spot for him when it’s his time to go pro.
  • While the Kings rookies have already met up against Vegas, this will be the first time any of the NHLers will be seeing each other since — well, no one here needs the reminder of what happened. Does the whole team still hate Drew Doughty? Can the Kings still neutralize the Smith/Karlsson/Marchessault line? Will Staples be full of Vegas fans who yell KNIGHTS during the anthem? Sigh.
  • Adrian Kempe and Alex Iafallo already are showing some good chemistry together, based on their play on Tuesday. Tonight in Vancouver, they add Jonny Brodzinski to their right wing. Brodzinski’s someone who is still struggling to find an opportunity as an everyday NHLer, but keep an eye on what those three can do together.
  • The Kings have already made one round of roster cuts, sending Aidan Dudas, Jacob Ingham, Markus Phillips, Akil Thomas, and Matt Villalta back to the OHL. Nathan Dunkley and Michal Ivan, both camp invitees, were also returned to juniors. Mark Rassell, with the Kings on an ATO, was released and will head to play for the University of New Brunswick. With today being the last of the split squad games, expect to see another round of cuts of some more juniors-bound players in the near future. /

LINEUPS

Home
Los Angeles Kings

Kovalchuk – Kopitar – Brown
Rempal – Carter – Anderson-Dolan
Clifford – Lewis – Bauman
Mitchell – Sutter – Herr

Brickley – Doughty
Phaneuf – Fantenberg
MacDermid – Walker

Quick
Petersen

Vegas Golden Knights

Smith – Karlsson – Marchessault
Carrier – Lindberg – Nosek
Kolesar – Bellemare – Carr
Matteau – Tynan – Pirri

Engelland – Hunt
Bischoff – Hague
Brannstrom – Reinhart

Dansk
Lagace

Away
Los Angeles Kings

Pearson – Amadio – Toffoli
Iafallo – Kempe – Brodzinski
Imama – Thompson – Etem
Wagner – Rymsha – Luff

Clague – Martinez
Muzzin – Roy
Reddekopp – LaDue

Budaj
Campbell

Vancouver Canucks

Dahlen – Horvat – Boeser
Baertschi – Pettersson – Goldobin
Archibald – Beagle – Virtanen
Schaller – Granlund – Motte

Del Zotto – Biega
Brisebois – Gudbranson
Hutton – Tanev

Markstrom
Kulbakov

Talking Points