Kings at Ducks
The Anaheim Ducks host the Los Angeles Kings on Thursday in the opener of a home-and-home series and a preview of Saturday's showdown at Dodger Stadium. Neither team is playing particularly well of late as NHL-leading Anaheim lost two of its last three games, including a 3-2 decision to Winnipeg on Tuesday for its first regulation home loss of the season. Los Angeles fell to 1-2-1 on its five-game road trip with its third straight setback - a 5-3 loss at Columbus on Tuesday.
"We're doing what bad teams are doing," Los Angeles forward Justin Williams told reporters. "We're allowing special-teams goals. We're allowing breakdown goals. When teams score goals against us, they need to earn them and earn them heavily. We haven't done that lately." The Kings' Jeff Carter has scored a goal in four straight contests while Anaheim captain Ryan Getzlaf owns an eight-game point streak in which he has recorded five goals and 12 points.
TV: 10 p.m. ET, NHL Network (United States), FSN West (Los Angeles) FSN Prime Ticket (Anaheim)
ABOUT THE KINGS (29-16-6): Jonathan Quick, who has won five straight meetings with the Ducks, is expected to start in what could be considered the beginning of the final audition period to land the starting job on the United States Olympic team. His first task, though, is to help Los Angeles secure two points and please coach Darryl Sutter, who told reporters: "We're clearly giving up too many goals." Carter's linemate - Mike Richards - has a goal and four assists in the last three games.
ABOUT THE DUCKS (37-10-5): Anaheim, which is 20-1-2 at Honda Center this season, may have been caught looking past the Jets. "There's a lot of distractions going on this week with this outdoor game," Getzlaf said. "Everybody wants to talk about it, and everyone's been talking about it for two weeks, so it's hard to focus in on what you need to do and getting the two points on hand. But that's no excuse." The Ducks lead the third-place Kings by 15 points in the Pacific Division.
OVERTIME
1. Los Angeles won its last five games against the Pacific, a streak which started with a 3-2 victory at Anaheim on Dec. 3. Dwight King scored in the ninth round of the shootout in the first meeting of the season.
2. The Ducks haven't lost consecutive games in regulation since 3-2 and 5-1 setbacks at Florida and Tampa Bay, respectively, on Nov. 12 and 14.
3. The Kings went 12-4-2 in their first 18 road contests, but are 1-6-1 in their last eight away from home.