Coyotes at Kings
With points at a premium in the hotly contested Western Conference, the Los Angeles Kings must take advantage of a free-falling opponent when they host the Arizona Coyotes on Monday. The reigning Stanley Cup champions are one point out of the second wild card in the West and sit two back of Calgary for third place in the Pacific Division. Los Angeles had a five-game point streak halted Saturday night, allowing a pair of third-period goals in a 2-1 loss to Nashville.
The closing schedule does not favor the Kings, who must play nine of their last 13 games away from home following the matchup against the flatlining Coyotes, who have dropped four in a row as part of a 1-13-1 tailspin. Arizona has managed to score only 19 goals over the past 15 games and has been limited to one tally or less in eight of its last 10 outings. The Coyotes also have dropped six straight on the road, last winning at Chicago on Feb. 9.
TV: 10:30 p.m. ET, FSN Arizona, FSN West (Los Angeles)
ABOUT THE COYOTES (21-40-8): Arizona, which exacerbated its offensive shortcomings by trading away its two leading scorers, scored six goals in its 1-4-1 homestand. "I think we make a lot of goalies look good," coach Dave Tippett said after Saturday's 4-1 loss to New Jersey. "We played against some very good goaltenders, and (Cory) Schneider is a very good goaltender. But I think as good as some of those goaltenders are, I think we end up making some of them look pretty good." Captain Shane Doan ended a 14-game drought with the lone goal against the Devils.
ABOUT THE KINGS (33-22-13): Los Angeles scored nine times in road wins at Colorado and Vancouver, but continues to have its own offensive woes at Staples Center with five goals in the last five home games - three coming in one contest. Center Anze Kopitar had registered seven points in a five-game stretch before he was blanked against Nashville, which came hours after his wife, Ines, gave birth to the couple's baby daughter. Jeff Carter kept his recent hot streak going with the lone tally against the Predators, giving him six goals in the past seven games.
OVERTIME
1. The Kings have killed off 38-of-40 short-handed situations over the past 14 games.
2. Coyotes G Mike Smith is 11-5-1 lifetime against Los Angeles but owns just one victory in his last 13 overall starts.
3. Kopitar has 53 points in 52 career games versus Arizona.