Kings at Ducks
Los Angeles is trying to avoid becoming the eighth Stanley Cup champion to miss the playoffs the following season, but a 13-4-1 record in its last 18 games heading into Wednesday's contest against the Ducks in Anaheim is an indication the Kings aren't ready to give up their crown. "I think we've played as well as we can since the All-Star break, and hopefully we can continue to," Los Angeles coach Darryl Sutter told reporters after Monday's 1-0 victory over Arizona. The Kings are even in points with Calgary with a game in hand for third place in the Pacific Division - 14 points behind first-place Anaheim.
"Every year is difficult. It's not easy," Los Angeles goaltender Jonathan Quick told reporters after earning his sixth shutout of the season. "It's a tough league and there's a lot of parity in both conferences. So I don't think this year is any more difficult than previous years. And it certainly isn't any easier." The Ducks have won two straight after shocking Nashville 4-2 with four unanswered goals in the third period Sunday and are tied for first in the Presidents' Trophy race with the New York Rangers, Montreal and St. Louis. "Any time you go down a couple of goals, you have to have the belief that no matter what happens, you can still come back and make a game of it,'' defenseman Cam Fowler told reporters after Anaheim improved to an NHL-best 11-20-0 when trailing after two periods.
TV: 10:30 p.m. ET, NBC Sports
ABOUT THE KINGS (34-22-13): Los Angeles got a boost Monday from Andy Andreoff as the rookie recorded his first NHL goal and point in his 15th career game while replacing Jarret Stoll for the second straight contest. Stoll has an upper-body injury - likely a concussion - and there is no timetable for his return, but Andreoff has also filled Stoll's void in the faceoff circle by winning 10-of-12. Defenseman Drew Doughty has a team-leading 34 assists, but only one in his last six contests.
ABOUT THE DUCKS (44-20-7): Anaheim is 3-0-1 in the first four contests of the five-game season series after losing to the Kings in seven games in the second round of the playoffs last season, and will try to do its part to keep Los Angeles out of the party. Captain Ryan Getzlaf has scored three goals in the last three contests - a departure from his typical game as the team leader in assists with 41 hasn't recorded one in seven contests. That is usually bad news for Corey Perry, Getzlaf's longtime linemate who has a team-leading 28 goals but only one in his last seven games.
OVERTIME
1. The Ducks are 27-1-7 in one-goal games while the Kings are 12-9-13.
2. Los Angeles' penalty-killing unit is 40-for-42 in its last 15 games.
3. Anaheim prevailed 4-2 on Feb. 27 in the last meeting after scoring four unanswered goals in the third period.