Blue Jackets at Kings
After sweeping a home-and-home series against the division leader, the Los Angeles Kings hope to move up another spot in the Pacific when they host the Columbus Blue Jackets on Thursday. Los Angeles defeated first-place Vegas on consecutive nights to climb into third place in the division and are two points behind San Jose for second.
Captain Anze Kopitar led the way offensively against the expansion Golden Knights, recording two goals and three assists in the two wins to increase his team-leading total to 70 points. The 30-year-old Slovenian also tops the Kings with 27 goals and is three away from the third 30-goal season of his career and first since 2009-10, when he scored a personal-best 34. Columbus is kicking off a three-game California trip after posting back-to-back home victories, including a 5-1 triumph over Washington on Monday. Cam Atkinson and defenseman Seth Jones each registered a goal and two assists for the Blue Jackets, who occupy the second wild-card spot in the Eastern Conference but are only 13-15-3 on the road this season.
TV: 10:30 p.m. ET, Sportsnet One, FS Ohio (Columbus), FS West (Los Angeles)
ABOUT THE BLUE JACKETS (32-26-5): Mark Letestu scored a goal against the Capitals as he began the second stint of his career with Columbus and defenseman Ian Cole posted a plus-1 rating in nearly 17 minutes of ice time as he made his debut with the team. The 33-year-old Letestu, who also played for the Blue Jackets from 2011-15, was obtained from Edmonton on Sunday in a three-team trade that involved Nashville while the 29-year-old Cole was acquired from Ottawa earlier Monday. Not all the news Monday was good as Columbus lost Josh Anderson, who is tied for the team lead with 18 goals, for approximately four weeks with a sprained knee.
ABOUT THE KINGS (35-24-5): Jeff Carter is trying to make up for lost time as he scored a goal in each of the wins over Vegas. The 33-year-old missed 55 games because of a torn tendon in his left ankle before returning to the lineup Saturday against Edmonton. Jack Campbell made his second career start and first for Los Angeles on Tuesday, turning aside 41 shots en route to his first NHL victory.
OVERTIME
1. The Blue Jackets hope to have LW Thomas Vanek in the lineup Thursday after acquiring the 34-year-old Austrian at the trade deadline from Vancouver, with whom he scored his 350th career goal in his swan song Friday.
2. Los Angeles RW Dustin Brown's next assist will be the 300th of his career.
3. Columbus D Taylor Chorney still is waiting to make his debut with the team after being claimed off waivers from Washington on Feb. 21.