Canucks at Kings
The Los Angeles Kings have dominated the Vancouver Canucks this season, and another victory on Saturday at Staples Center would put the Pacific Division rivals even in points as they jockey for playoff position. The fourth-place Kings have outscored the second-place Canucks by a 12-3 margin en route to winning the first three meetings, highlighted by Jonathan Quick's 19-save performance in a 4-0 win on March 12. Quick has flustered Vancouver of late, posting a 6-3-0 record with two shutouts and a 1.34 goals-against average in the last nine matchups.
Quick made 23 saves but allowed Ryan Kesler's goal in overtime in a 3-2 setback to Anaheim on Thursday, dropping the Kings to 5-1-2 in their last eight games. Vancouver enters Saturday's contest on the heels of yielding six unanswered goals in a 6-2 setback to Columbus on Thursday. "We stopped playing and I didn't come up with those big saves either," said Eddie Lack, who was pulled after allowing five tallies but is expected to be back in net against Los Angeles.
TV: 4 p.m. ET, RSN Pacific (Vancouver), FSN West (Los Angeles)
ABOUT THE CANUCKS (40-26-4): Alex Burrows has made the most of his promotion to the team's top line, scoring twice in a 4-1 victory over Philadelphia and adding an assist versus the Blue Jackets. With Zack Kassian (back) sidelined for Vancouver's upcoming two-game road trip, Burrows is expected to see even more time playing with the Sedin twins. Speaking of Daniel Sedin, he is slated to play in his 1,050th career contest on Saturday and has recorded one goal and two assists in his last two games.
ABOUT THE KINGS (34-22-14): Jeff Carter has enjoyed a blistering stretch of late, scoring his seventh goal in nine games on Thursday to increase his team lead to 25 tallies. The 30-year-old collected a goal and an assist in a 5-1 victory over Vancouver on Nov. 8, while Anze Kopitar and Tyler Toffoli have registered two of each in the season series. Justin Williams, who tallied late in regulation versus the Ducks, scored and set up a goal in the recent meeting with the Canucks.
OVERTIME
1. Los Angeles D Alec Martinez was activated from injury reserve and is likely to return Saturday from an 18-game absence due to an apparent concussion.
2. Canucks RW Brad Richardson (ankle) has been ruled out versus Kings, as well as Sunday's road game in Arizona.
3. Los Angeles has killed off 43 of its last 45 short-handed situations.