Kings at Flames
The Los Angeles Kings have prided themselves on their ability to stave off elimination and they will be looking to avoid a knockout blow when they visit the Calgary Flames on Thursday. The reigning Stanley Cup champions, coming off a devasting 4-2 defeat at Edmonton on Tuesday, trail the Flames by two points for third place in the Pacific and are three back of Winnipeg for the second wild card in the Western Conference.
Calgary can secure its first postseason berth since 2009 with either a victory or a non-regulation loss to the Kings, who have dropped three of four meetings this season to the Flames - two in overtime. "We know who we're playing. We know what kind of team they are," Calgary defenseman Kris Russell said. "They're one of the teams that when their backs have been up against the wall ... they've played their best." Winners of four of five overall, the Flames visit Winnipeg on Saturday in the regular-season finale.
TV: 9 p.m. ET, FSN West (Los Angeles), RSW (Calgary)
ABOUT THE KINGS (39-26-15): Los Angeles has dropped the first two legs of the three-game road trip and has scored a combined five goals while losing four straight away from home. "Our defensemen scored our goals. It’s tough to win when only your defensemen are scoring goals," Kings coach Darryl Sutter said after blue-liners Jake Muzzin and Drew Doughty tallied in the loss to Edmonton - a team Los Angeles steamrolled 8-2 five days earlier. Tyler Toffoli had a hat trick in a 5-3 win over Calgary on Feb. 12 but has scored only four goals in 26 games since.
ABOUT THE FLAMES (44-29-7): Sean Monahan came through in the clutch again, scoring his eighth game-winning goal and 31st overall midway through the third period to lift Calgary to a 3-2 victory over Arizona on Tuesday. "I don’t think Monahan gets enough credit in the league," Sutter said of the 20-year-old. "Everybody talks about the centermen in this conference, and they don’t talk about Sean Monahan, and they should." Rookie Johnny Gaudreau, who scored his 23rd goal against the Coyotes, has collected six points in the four matchups against Los Angeles.
OVERTIME
1. Monahan is riding a five-game point streak.
2. Kings G Jonathan Quick is 10-6-4 with a 1.81 goals-against average and two shutouts versus Calgary.
3. Calgary is 21-6-1 against Pacific Division opponents.