Penguins at Kings
Less than 24 hours after having their four-game winning streak snapped, the Pittsburgh Penguins attempt to begin another one as they continue their California trip Thursday against the Los Angeles Kings. Pittsburgh had won five of six this month - including both its road contests - before Wednesday's 5-3 setback at Anaheim.
Phil Kessel extended his goal-scoring streak to four games while Penguins captain Sidney Crosby notched a pair of assists in the loss for his fifth consecutive multi-point performance, a stretch during which he has collected three goals and 10 assists. Los Angeles is hoping to salvage the finale of its four-game homestand and halt its season high-tying four-game overall skid after dropping a 4-1 decision to San Jose on Monday. The Kings have allowed four goals in each game during their losing streak after posting a shutout at Edmonton on Jan. 2. Trevor Lewis scored against the Sharks and is one away from matching the career high of 12 he set last season.
TV: 10 p.m. ET, NBC Sports Network, Sportsnet360, AT&T SportsNet-Pittsburgh
ABOUT THE PENGUINS (24-20-3): Crosby failed to tally for the first time in three games, leaving him one away from joining Mario Lemieux and Jaromir Jagr as the only players to record 400 goals with the franchise. Kessel also set up a tally against the Ducks, giving him four goals and six assists during his five-game point streak while raising his team-leading total to 54 points. Matt Murray missed his third straight contest Wednesday and likely will miss several more as he returned home because of the death of his father.
ABOUT THE KINGS (24-15-5): Drew Doughty has gone five contests without a goal after scoring the game-winner at Vancouver on Dec. 30 to tie captain Anze Kopitar (four) for the team lead. The 28-year-old All-Star, who trails Tampa Bay rookie Mikhail Sergachev by one for first in game-winners among all NHL defensemen, is one tally away from 100 for his career. Lewis has been hot of late, recording three goals in his last five games and six points in as many contests.
OVERTIME
1. Kings RW Dustin Brown is three goals shy of 250 in the NHL and five away from his sixth career 20-goal season.
2. Pittsburgh C Jean-Sebastien Dea, who made his NHL debut in the 2016-17 regular-season finale, was recalled from Wilkes-Barre/Scranton of the American Hockey League on Wednesday but was a healthy scratch against Anaheim.
3. Los Angeles recalled D Paul LaDue and C Michael Amadio from Ontario and assigned Ds Oscar Fantenberg and Kurtis MacDermid to the AHL club.