Rangers at Kings
The Los Angeles Kings will try to put an end to their longest losing streak in more than 10 years when they host the New York Rangers on Sunday. Los Angeles lost 2-1 at Anaheim on Friday for its sixth straight setback - its longest skid since an eight-gamer in December 2007 - and also is in the midst of a five-game slide at home (0-4-1) as it braces for a New York team that began a four-game road trip with a 3-1 loss to red-hot Colorado on Saturday.
"Losing streaks are going to happen throughout seasons, and it's how you respond to them," Kings defenseman Jake Muzzin told reporters. "We've got to respond." Los Angeles, which is 4-9-2 in its last 15 games, has lacked punch with 11 goals during its losing streak and hasn't received much help from a power play that is 1-for-12 over the last six contests. New York remains in wild-card position while in the middle of the pack of a competitive Metropolitan Division, with the Kings in the same position in the Pacific but just outside of a wild-card spot. The Rangers played their first game Saturday without defenseman Kevin Shattenkirk, who will have surgery to repair a meniscus tear in his left knee Monday and is out indefinitely.
TV: 10:30 p.m. ET, Sportsnet One, MSG (New York), FS West (Los Angeles)
ABOUT THE RANGERS (24-18-5): Mats Zuccarello increased his team-leading point total to 33 with an assist on Saturday, giving him four points - all assists - in his last 11 games. Henrik Lundqvist (21-12-4, 2.54 goals-against average .924 save percentage) has played five games in eight days and could yield Sunday to Ondrej Pavelec (3-6-1, 2.97, .915), who allowed five goals on 19 shots before being pulled from a 7-2 loss to the New York Islanders on Jan. 13 in his last outing. Michael Grabner (club-most 20 goals) missed Saturday's game with the flu, Kevin Hayes (leg) hasn't played in the last three contests and defenseman Marc Staal has been out for two with a hip flexor, and all are questionable for Sunday as the latter two skated before Saturday's game.
ABOUT THE KINGS (24-17-5): Captain Anze Kopitar (18 goals) has registered a team-leading 47 points after recording an assist on Friday, giving him a goal and six assists in seven games this month. Dustin Brown (15 goals, 32 points), who is on pace for his most prolific season in six years, has been kept off the scoresheet for the last five contests. Tyler Toffoli (30 points) shares the team lead in goals with Kopitar but hasn't recorded a point in four games and has one goal in his last seven contests.
OVERTIME
1. Los Angeles' NHL-best penalty-killing unit slipped to 87 percent after allowing three power-play goals in 19 chances during the losing streak.
2. New York is 2-3-2 in its last seven road games, with the wins coming against the NHL's worst teams - Buffalo and Arizona.
3. The Rangers have won three straight meetings, including a 4-2 triumph on Dec. 15 in the opener of the two-game season series behind 33 saves from Lundqvist.