Kings at Canucks
The Los Angeles Kings attempt to salvage the finale of their three-game trek across Western Canada when they visit the Vancouver Canucks on Thursday. Los Angeles began the trip with a 2-1 loss at Calgary on Monday and rallied from a two-goal deficit before falling 3-2 in a shootout at Edmonton the following night. Defensemen Drew Doughty and Jake Muzzin tallied in the third period as the Kings earned a point before suffering their fifth straight road loss (0-3-2).
Vancouver carries a four-game point streak into the opener of its five-game homestand. The Canucks improved to 3-0-1 in their last four contests with a 3-1 triumph at San Jose on Tuesday. Jannik Hansen and Radim Vrbata scored four minutes apart in the second period as Vancouver halted its four-game slide on the road (0-2-2).
TV: 10 p.m. ET, FSN West (Los Angeles), RSN (Vancouver)
ABOUT THE KINGS (18-12-8): Los Angeles is a disappointing 4-8-6 away from home, with Edmonton being the only team in the league with fewer road wins (two). Jonathan Quick has posted a 2-6-5 record on the road, and his goals-against average (2.94) away from Staples Center is more than a full tally higher than his mark at home (1.79). Marian Gaborik, who missed Monday's contest with the flu, has collected seven goals and four assists during his seven-game point streak.
ABOUT THE CANUCKS (21-11-3): Vancouver has been one of the best teams in the league while short-handed as it ranks third in penalty-killing at 87.3 percent. The Canucks, who have scored four goals while down a skater, successfully killed 34-of-36 infractions in December. Hansen escaped with only a fine after delivering an illegal check to the head of San Jose's Tommy Wingels on Tuesday.
OVERTIME
1. Los Angeles C Anze Kopitar has been a playmaking machine of late, collecting 11 assists to go with two goals in his last seven games.
2. Vancouver G Ryan Miller stopped one of the two penalty shots he faced Tuesday and is 16-for-19 in his career.
3. The Kings posted a 5-1 home victory over Vancouver on Nov. 8 as C Tyler Toffoli recorded a goal and two assists while Gaborik, Muzzin, Kopitar and C Jeff Carter all notched one of each.