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Preview, Game Day #72: Los Angeles Kings @ Nashville Predators

Los Angeles Kings @ Nashville Predators

Time: 5:00 Pacific
TV: Fox Sports West, MSG

Enemy Reading: On the Forecheck

Los Angeles Kings

Lucic – Kopitar – Toffoli
Clifford – Carter – Brown
Pearson – Lecavalier – Lewis
King – Shore – Andreoff

Scuderi – Doughty
Muzzin – Martinez
McNabb – Schenn

Quick
(Enroth)

Injured: Gaborik, Greene, Nolan, Versteeg Scratched: McBain

Nashville Predators

Jarnkrok – Johansen – Neal
Forsberg – Ribeiro – Smith
Salomaki – Fisher – Arvidsson
Wilson – Sissons – Nystrom

Josi – Weber
Jackman – Ellis
Ekholm – Granberg

Rinne
(Hutton)

Stats & Such
(Fancy stats courtesy War on Ice)

Team Kings Predators
Record 44-22-5 36-23-13
Points 93 85
Division Rank 1st 4th
Streak Won 4 Lost 1
Goals For/Game 2.72 2.74
Goals Against/Game 2.22 2.57
ES Goal % 54.8 51.7
ES Shot % 54.6 52.7
ES PDO 99.7 100.1
ES Corsi % 55.9 52.6
ES Fenwick % 55.8 53.5
ES Scoring Chance % 54.2 53.5
ES High-Danger SC % 54.3 55.2
Power Play % (Rank) 21.1 (7th) 19.6 (10th)
Penalty Kill % (Rank) 81.5 (14th) 80.6 (20th)
Starting Goalie (today) Quick Rinne
Goalie Record 37-17-4 29-19-10
Save % .921 .910
ES Save % .932 .924

Notes:

  • The Kings are missing Kris Versteeg, who took a shot off the top of his foot on Saturday. (He’s listed as day-to-day. Aren’t we all?)
  • Despite the absence of Versteeg, the Kings are icing an extremely similar lineup. Only changes: Toffoli takes Versteeg’s place on the first line, while Andy Andreoff slots in on the vacated right wing spot next to Nick Shore.
  • It goes without saying that the Kings, whatever the line combination, have played well as of late. The Boston game was a bit of a grind, but not an unexpected one, and they preceded it with a big comeback win and two road dismantlements of Central contenders.
  • Over the last month, though, the Predators have been quite good themselves. Since losing 2-1 to LA in overtime on February 20, Nashville is 9-2-2 despite playing ten of their thirteen games on the road. That 2-1 loss was at Bridgestone Arena, though!
  • PREDICTION: Kings 3, Predators 2 (OT). Nick Shore with the winner off Barret Jackman’s skate.

Talking Points