Coyotes at Kings
THE STORY: The Los Angeles Kings will try for their third straight game with a point under new coach Darryl Sutter when they host the Phoenix Coyotes on Monday. Los Angeles posted a shootout victory over the Anaheim Ducks at home in Sutter's debut on Thursday, then took the Sharks to another shootout before succumbing in San Jose the following night. Thursday's win was just the Kings' third in their last eight contests at home. Phoenix has performed well on the road of late, winning four of six and 11 of 16. Overall, the Coyotes have lost five of eight, with the three wins coming in their last five games.
TV: 10 p.m. ET, FSN Arizona Plus (Phoenix), FSN West (Los Angeles)
ABOUT THE COYOTES (18-14-3): Jason LaBarbera will make his third consecutive start as Mike Smith continues to recover from a lower body injury. LaBarbera defeated the Carolina Hurricanes on Wednesday before losing to the St. Louis Blues two days later, allowing three goals in each contest. Martin Hanzal took a high stick to the face from David Backes early in the third period of Friday's loss and did not return. Hanzal, who was helped off the ice but appeared to be feeling better after the game, has scored just five goals in 33 contests this season after netting a career-high 16 in 61 matches last
campaign.
ABOUT THE KINGS (16-14-5): Mike Richards has scored a goal in each of his two games following an eight-game absence due to a head injury. A two-time 20-goal scorer, Trent Hunter failed to tally more than 14 times in any of the past four seasons and is unlikely to reach that mark in 2011-12 as he has one goal in 20 games. After totaling 61 goals in his first three full seasons, Hunter has scored 39 in 235 games over the last five campaigns.
OVERTIME:
1. Phoenix has won four of its last five games against division rivals but has dropped four of five vs. Western Conference opponents.
2. The Coyotes are 6-3-1 in their last 10 meetings with the Kings.