Red Wings at Kings
The Los Angeles Kings let down their guard in their last game and dropped a decision to an opponent that is languishing in the standings. It's a situation that they hope doesn't repeat itself on Thursday as the Kings host the spiraling Detroit Red Wings, who have lost a season high-tying seven in a row.
Jeff Carter scored two third-period goals in Tuesday's 4-3 shootout loss to Arizona to extend his point total to eight (six goals, two assists) in nine games since missing 55 with an ankle injury. Carter's production aside, Los Angeles has answered winning six of eight by losing three of its last five to cling to third place in the congested Pacific Division. Detroit's second seven-game losing skid of the season has all but doused any faint flicker of a chance for a postseason berth, but coach Jeff Blashill isn't willing to make it easy on the Kings -- or any other club on the team's five-game road trip. "Every team we've played out here and will play out there is obviously fighting for their playoff lives," Blashill said. "I think our biggest challenge is playing our best hockey."
TV: 10 p.m. ET, NBC Sports Network, FS Detroit, Sportsnet360
ABOUT THE RED WINGS (26-32-11): Frans Nielsen plans to return on Thursday from a three-game absence due to a hit to the head from Boston forward David Backes, who subsequently was suspended three contests by the NHL. "Yeah, passed the test," the 33-year-old Dane said. "... You never know how bad it is. It can be small symptoms that can turn into something way worse. I guess I was lucky it wasn't that bad." Nielsen set up defenseman Mike Green for Detroit's lone tally in a 4-1 setback to Los Angeles on Nov. 27.
ABOUT THE KINGS (38-26-6): Captain Anze Kopitar set up Carter's second-period goal on Tuesday to extend his point streak to five games (one goal, six assists). The 30-year-old Slovene resides three assists shy of his career high of 51, established in 2011-12, while his 76 points are five short of his personal best set in 2009-10. Kopitar had two goals and an assist in the first encounter versus Detroit, with Jonathan Quick's 23-save performance improving his mark to 9-13-1 against the Red Wings.
OVERTIME
1. Los Angeles sports a sizzling 20-9-1 mark versus Eastern Conference representatives.
2. Detroit LW Tyler Bertuzzi set up all three goals in Monday's 5-3 setback to San Jose, boosting his assist total to seven in his last seven games.
3. Kings D Drew Doughty has seven points (one goal, six assists) in the past nine games.