Kings at Blues
Sitting one point out of first place in the Central Division, the St. Louis Blues put a four-game winning streak on the line when they host the Los Angeles Kings on Tuesday in the opening leg of a home-and-home series. St. Louis will be looking to avenge a 1-0 shootout defeat at Los Angeles on Oct. 16 - its ninth loss in 11 games (2-7-2) versus the defending Stanley Cup champions. "They've got our number," Blues coach Ken Hitchcock said.
The only number the Kings can brag about lately is a high shot total - they have averaged 38 shots over the last four contests but have just one victory to show for it entering the finale of a five-game road trip. "We need great goaltending and we need guys to score big goals," Los Angeles coach Darryl Sutter said. "Usually that comes out of your top guys." The road struggles are nothing new for the Kings, who are 4-6-5 away from home this season.
TV: 8 p.m. ET, FSN West (Los Angeles), FSN Midwest (St. Louis)
ABOUT THE KINGS (15-10-6): Although Los Angeles beat St. Louis in a shootout in the fifth game of the season, it has dropped four in a row in the bonus format following Sunday's 4-3 shootout loss at Toronto and has only two wins in eight games that have gone beyond regulation. "These overtime and shootout games, we just have to pull through somehow," said forward Marian Gaborik, who had a goal in Sunday's setback. Justin Williams also had a goal and set up another versus the Maple Leafs to give him three tallies in the last five games.
ABOUT THE BLUES (20-8-2): T.J. Oshie had a rocky start to the season, missing seven games with a concussion at one point and scoring only twice in his first 19 contests. Oshie has heated up over the past four contests with three goals and six points, capped off by game-winning tallies in back-to-back victories over the New York Islanders and Colorado. “The last four games or so, I’ve felt like it’s been the best hockey of the season for me,” Oshie said. “I feel like I’m getting back to that good hockey I was playing last year."
OVERTIME
1. Gaborik has 14 goals and 36 points in 34 career games versus St. Louis.
2. Jake Allen has been in net the past two games but Hitchcock wouldn't disclose whether the rookie or Martin Brodeur would start Tuesday.
3. A California judge ruled Monday that there is enough evidence for Kings D Slava Voynov to stand trial on a charge of felony domestic violence.