Los Angeles Kings @ Vancouver Canucks (Rogers Arena)
Time: 7:00 PM PST
TV: Fox Sports West, SportsNet Pacific
Lineups:
Los Angeles Kings
Gaborik–Kopitar–Lewis
King–Carter–Toffoli
Brown–Stoll–Williams
Clifford–Shore–Nolan
Regehr–Doughty
McNabb–Sekera
Muzzin–Greene
Quick
(Jones)
Injured: Martinez, Pearson; Scratched: Andreoff, McBain; Suspended: Voynov
Vancouver Canucks
Sedin–Sedin–Kassian
Matthias–Bonino–Vrbata
Dorsett–Vey–Burrows
Kenins–Horvat–Hansen
Edler–Tanev
Hamhuis–Sbisa
Stanton–Corrado
Lack
(Markstrom)
Injured: Bieksa, Richardson, Higgins, Weber, Miller; Scratched: McMillan, Clendening
Game Notes:
- Everyone, not incorrectly, is focused on how a Kings victory tonight complicates the Pacific Division and the Western Conference playoff race. If the Kings pick up two points in regulation, they equal Calgary’s 79 points and sit just behind Vancouver’s 80, with all three teams at 67 games played. For maximum chaos, a Sharks win puts them at 76 with 68 games played, and a Winnipeg defeat puts them at 78 with 68 games played.
- However, maybe we’re overstating the importance here: LA actually has three games remaining against Vancouver, after winning the first two earlier in the season. That’s March 21 and April 6. As we all know, it’s tough to sweep a full series against Vancouver, but there’s precedent for winning four out of five…
- “BOB MILLER, GET ON MY BACK!”
- Anyway, I’ve noticed while writing the last few previews that a lot of teams are suffering through really terrible injury luck at the moment. Not every team is Columbus, of course, but Vancouver is actually just middle of the pack, with “only” 180 games lost to injury. LA, by contrast, has suffered the following:
- Pearson and Martinez, of course, have remained out, though they’re skating again. but replacements Andrej Sekera and Nick Shore have both come in for praise from Darryl Sutter. In particular, he referred to Sekera as “the best player on the ice” after Tuesday’s game.
- On Vancouver’s side, Ryan Miller’s been injured, but Eddie Lack has stepped up to the tune of a .934 save percentage since Miller’s injury. Here’s a piece discussing his success from Kevin Woodley of NHL.com. Facing Lack instead of Miller: not as convenient as getting to face Pickard and Tokarski.
- No Brad Richardson tonight, but Linden Vey is in. Of course, the pick LA traded Vey for ended up going with a first-rounder to Carolina, for Sekera. Vey’s become a bit of a whipping boy among Vancouver fans but had a strong game on Monday.
- PREDICTION: Kings 3, Canucks 1. I think it’s high time for that Brown-Stoll-Williams line to get a goal or two.