Kings at Coyotes
The Arizona Coyotes attempt to extend a pair of winning streaks when they wrap up a six-game homestand against the Pacific Division-rival Los Angeles Kings on Saturday. Arizona went 1-1-1 over the first half of its lengthy stretch at Gila River Arena before posting one-goal victories over the New York Islanders and Toronto.
Defenseman Connor Murphy provided the heroics Tuesday, scoring at 6:06 of the third period to snap a tie and lift the Coyotes past the Maple Leafs. Arizona also won its first two meetings with the Kings this season, with both triumphs taking place in Los Angeles. The Kings are hoping the holiday break will prove to be just what they need, as they begin a four-game road trip having lost four of their last five contests (1-3-1). After being blanked in Toronto on Dec. 19 to conclude a 3-2-1 trek, Los Angeles suffered a 5-3 home loss to San Jose on Tuesday.
TV: 9 p.m. ET, FSN West (Los Angeles), FSN Arizona
ABOUT THE KINGS (20-11-2): Los Angeles assigned Michael Mersch to Ontario of the American Hockey League on Wednesday. The 23-year-old left wing remains in search of his first NHL point after posting a minus-2 rating in six games with the Kings. Los Angeles is 4-5-0 against division rivals, with all five losses coming at home.
ABOUT THE COYOTES (16-15-2): Shane Doan scored twice in Tuesday's victory to raise his career goal total to 376 - three shy of pulling even with Dale Hawerchuk for first place on the franchise list. Arizona hopes to have Martin Hanzal and defenseman Zbynek Michalek back in the lineup after both missed Tuesday's contest with lower-body injuries. Blue-liner Nicklas Grossmann also is a question mark after leaving the game against Toronto with an upper-body injury.
OVERTIME
1. Saturday's contest begins a string of four games in six days for Arizona.
2. Los Angeles F Tyler Toffoli has scored two of his team's three goals versus the Coyotes this season.
3. Arizona signed 19-year-old RW Conor Garland, a fifth-round pick in this year's draft, to a three-year, entry-level contract.