Ducks at Kings
Losing seven of their last nine games provides ample motivation for the Los Angeles Kings, who also will have revenge on their minds when they host the Anaheim Ducks on Saturday afternoon in the second matchup in four days between the Pacific Division rivals. The Kings blew two-goal leads on three occasions before falling at Anaheim in a shootout Wednesday in this season's first installment of the Freeway Faceoff. Los Angeles was blanked by Dallas 24 hours later for its first regulation home loss since the season opener.
The Ducks had dropped three in a row - all at home and each beyond regulation - prior to the comeback victory over the Kings, a stretch during which leading goal-scorer Corey Perry has been sidelined due to the mumps. Perry, who was leading the league with 11 goals prior to becoming ill, was back on the ice for the first time at Thursday's practice but may not be ready to return to the lineup. “The body’s a little weak," Perry acknowledged. "Not ruling out this weekend, but you never know.”
4 p.m. ET, Prime Ticket (Anaheim), FSN West (Los Angeles)
ABOUT THE DUCKS (11-3-3): Ryan Kesler was acquired from Vancouver in the offseason to be a difference-maker, and he made a huge impact in Wednesday's matchup, ending a nine-game goalless drought by scoring twice before netting the decisive tally in the shootout. "It was intense and fun," said Kesler, who extended his point streak to four games. "It was two good teams going against each other. It kind of had the same feeling as the Kings-Canucks rivalry." Veteran defenseman Francois Beauchemin will sit out his third consecutive game since also being diagnosed with the mumps while forward Dany Heatley (groin) was placed on injured reserve Friday.
ABOUT THE KINGS (8-5-4): Los Angeles suffered a blow to its already thin blue-line corps as defenseman Alec Martinez underwent surgery on his finger Friday and will be sidelined indefinitely. With Slava Voynov still serving a suspension and the Kings lacking space under the salary cap to bring in another body, the hope is that Robyn Regehr will return to the lineup Saturday after sitting out the last three games with an undisclosed injury. Tanner Pearson, who is tied with Tyler Toffoli for the team's goal-scoring lead, netted all seven tallies in his first eight games but has managed only one assist over the last nine contests.
OVERTIME
1. Anaheim, which lost its second-round playoff series with Los Angeles in seven games last postseason, has won the last five regular-season matchups.
2. Kings G Jonathan Quick, who made 44 saves Wednesday, is 6-1-1 at home this season.
3. Ducks G Frederik Andersen was yanked in the second period Wednesday but takes a 3-0-0 mark against the Kings into Saturday's matchup.