Kings at Golden Knights
Less than 24 hours after ending their four-game losing streak, the Los Angeles Kings take on a team that has been sensational at home when they visit the expansion Vegas Golden Knights on Sunday. Pacific Division-leading Los Angeles avoided being swept on its five-game homestand on Saturday by posting a 4-0 victory over Florida.
Tyler Toffoli recorded a goal and an assist while Darcy Kuemper made 24 saves en route to his eighth career shutout as the Kings fell two tallies shy of matching their total during the slide. Vegas trails Los Angeles by only three points thanks in part to an impressive 7-1-0 record at home. The Golden Knights enter Sunday's contest with a six-game winning streak at T-Mobile Arena and are coming off a 5-2 triumph at Vancouver on Thursday that halted their three-game skid on the road. David Perron leads Vegas in scoring (17 points) as he has collected two goals and seven assists during his six-game point streak.
TV: 8 p.m. ET, FSN West (Los Angeles), AT&T SportsNet-Rocky Mountain (Vegas)
ABOUT THE KINGS (12-6-2): Anze Kopitar had his career-high point streak halted at 10 games as he was kept off the scoresheet by the Panthers. The 30-year-old Slovenian captain, who leads Los Angeles with 23 points, collected three goals and nine assists during his run. Jonny Brodzinski became the fifth rookie on the team to net his first career goal on Saturday, tallying in his 11th NHL game to join Alex Iafallo, Michael Amadio and defensemen Kurtis MacDermid and Oscar Fantenberg.
ABOUT THE GOLDEN KNIGHTS (11-6-1): After having to rely on the fourth goaltender on its depth chart (Maxime Lagace) for nearly three weeks, Vegas got its No. 2 back on Friday as it activated Malcolm Subban from injured reserve. The 23-year-old, who has missed 11 games with a lower-body injury, went 2-0-0 with a 2.06 goals-against average in three starts after being claimed off waivers from Boston on Oct. 3. Erik Haula has caught fire offensively, recording four goals and four assists over his last six contests after notching only three points in his first eight games.
OVERTIME
1. Golden Knights LW James Neal, who tops the club with 10 goals, has registered a point in five of his last six games (three tallies, two assists).
2. Los Angeles LW Jussi Jokinen has recorded two assists in as many games since being acquired from Edmonton, where he notched one in 14 contests.
3. With Subban back, Vegas assigned G Dylan Ferguson to Kamloops of the Western Hockey League.