Kings at Devils
The Los Angeles Kings have been downright impressive during their season-high eight-game winning streak, but don't go singing their praises to coach John Stevens. The Pacific Division-leading Kings look to continue their torrid play on Tuesday as they open a four-game road trip against the New Jersey Devils.
"It really doesn't matter what we've done to this point," Stevens said following Monday's practice. "This is an important trip to continue to get points and continue to try and play well and build our team game." Los Angeles' calling card has long been its defense, and the team has surrendered just 13 goals during its win streak - with Jonathan Quick posting a 1.46 goals-against average and .943 save percentage during his six-game unbeaten run. That level of dominance is hardly music to the ears of New Jersey, which has mustered just nine goals en route to losing three of its last four games. "Every team in the league goes through that at some point," Devils forward Taylor Hall said of his team dropping two straight in regulation for the first time this season. "It's about how quickly you can nip it in the bud and really get that part out of your game."
TV: 7 p.m. ET, FSN West (Los Angeles), MSG-Plus (New Jersey)
ABOUT THE KINGS (20-8-3): Captain Anze Kopitar has collected multi-point performances in each of his last four games, recording three goals and six assists in that stretch. The 30-year-old Slovene has collected 11 multi-point efforts this season and leads the team in goals (16), assists (22) and points (38). Fellow forward Tyler Toffoli scored and set up a goal in Saturday's 3-2 overtime win over Carolina, increasing his goal total to 14 - two shy of his final output from last season.
ABOUT THE DEVILS (16-9-4): Cory Schneider is hoping to rebound from a disastrous start after matching the sum total of his three previous outings by surrendering all five goals in a loss to Columbus on Friday. "For me, learning on goals and what I can do better and how I can be different (is the approach needed)," the 31-year-old Schneider told NJ.com. "We've done a pretty good all year to responding. This weekend, and it kind of creeps back four, five, six games now. We haven't had our best, and we need a response from everybody." Schneider dropped both encounters with the Kings last season, including yielding three goals in the first period before receiving an early exit on Jan. 24.
OVERTIME
1. New Jersey C Brian Gibbons leads the team with 11 goals, but has just one point - an assist - in his last six games.
2. The Kings are just 2-for-22 on the power play during their win streak.
3. The Devils have failed to convert with the man advantage in four straight games (0-for-11).