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Preview: The Resistible Force (Kings) vs. the Moveable Object (Ottawa Senators)

Posted on by Michael Lloyd

How to Watch

Game Time: 4:30 p.m. Pacific Time

TV: Fox Sports West, Fox Sports GO

Radio: LA Kings Audio Network; iHeart Radio

The Opposition: Silver Seven

What to Watch

The Los Angeles Kings had this game circled since the schedules were announced. Finally a game where the opposition would be guaranteed to be worse. Maybe, just maybe that is true with the Ottawa Senators sitting in the 30th spot in the league standings at 4-9-1 and the Kings sitting in 29th at 5-10-0. Reminder to these two squads: If you’re tanking to try and get a better spot to draft Alexis Lafrenière, the worst team never gets the top pick.

Game 16 Crown Conversations with the Silver Seven Sens
Take a listen…

The 5-10-0 Start

This from LA Kings Insider Jon Rosen: Historically, at 5-10-0 we’re looking at the worst start by a Kings team in at least 32 years. (They were 5-9-1 through 15 games last season.) The 1987-88 team wasn’t anything to write home about and also opened up the season with 10 points in 15 games by virtue of a 4-9-2 record. They finished with 68 points in 80 games but did not benefit from the looser point distribution of the modern game. L.A. also compiled 9 points (4-10-1) through 15 games in 1986-87, 7 in 1985-86 (3-11-1), 10 in 1983-84 (3-8-4), 7 in 1971-72 (3-11-1) and 7 in 1969-70 (3-11-1).

Don Cherry / Senators Feud in Full Effect

After this play, the Mouth of the North, Don Cherry took to the airwaves with utter disregard for Scott Sabourin and the Senators Faithful took exception.

Game Notes

…Carl Grundstrom is out as Austin Wagner checks in.

…As the Kings showcase Tyler Toffoli for a possible trade for the scouts in attendance, the top line will feature number 73 on the top line which seems super strange since both 77 and 73 are right wingers.

…Jack Campbell starts in net looking to erase the nightmare of his last game against the Senators where he allowed four goals on 11 shots in a 5-1 loss.

…The Kings were 0-2-0 last season versus Ottawa looking lost in the 9-2 aggregate two-game series.

…Joakim Ryan and Nikolai Prokhorkin will watch from the press box with Carl Grundstrom as healthy scratches.

…Ottawa is looking for their first winning streak of the season.

…Sorry folks, Bobby Ryan won’t be playing tonight as he continues his slow descension towards retirement joining Mikkel Boedker as healthy scratches.

…Three of Ottawa’s four most expensive forwards will not dress tonight (Colin White is injured).

…Senators starting goaltender Anders Nilsson has four career starts against the Kings and is 2-1-0 with a 2.25 goals-against average and a .932 save percentage.

Lineups

Kings

Toffoli-Kopitar-Carter
Kovalchuk-Lizotte-Wagner
Iafallo-Kempe-Brown
Clifford-Amadio-Lewis

Martinez-Doughty
Hutton-Walker
MacDermid-Roy

Campbell

Senators

Tkachuk – Tierney – Duclair
Paul – Pageau – C. Brown
Namestnikov – Anisimov – Ennis
Chlapik – Beaudin – Davidsson

Chabot – Zaitsev
Brannstrom – Hainsey
Borowiecki – DeMelo

Nilsson

From the “At Least the Kings Aren’t Paying Milan Lucic Six Million Dollars this Season” Department

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