Red Wings at Kings
The Detroit Red Wings look to remain perfect on their six-game road trip when they visit the Pacific Division-leading Los Angeles Kings on Monday. After ending December with three straight losses, Detroit has begun 2016 by posting one-goal victories in each of the first four games of its trek — including a 2-1 triumph at Anaheim on Sunday in which Riley Sheahan snapped a tie with 3:44 remaining in the third period.
Tomas Tatar added his 13th goal to pull into a tie with Justin Abdelkader for second on the team, one behind rookie Dylan Larkin. Los Angeles split the first two contests of its four-game homestand, edging Toronto 2-1 on Thursday while falling to St. Louis in a shootout by the same score two days later. Anze Kopitar remained hot, scoring the lone goal against the Blues to give him 11 points in his last eight games and at least one in 18 of his past 23 contests. Detroit will attempt to complete a sweep of the two-game season series after posting a 3-2 home triumph over the Kings on Nov. 20, when Larkin scored one of his team-leading four game-winning goals.
TV: 10:30 p.m. ET, Sportsnet, FSN Detroit, FSN West (Los Angeles)
ABOUT THE RED WINGS (22-13-7): Larkin notched an assist Sunday to extend his point streak to a season high-tying five games and move one point ahead of Arizona's Max Domi for second in the league among rookies. The 19-year-old, who trails Chicago's Artemi Panarin by 10 for the league lead, also began the campaign — and his NHL career — with points in five straight games. Petr Mrazek has won each of the first four games of the road trip, allowing a total of five goals and only two over the last three contests.
ABOUT THE KINGS (26-12-3): Jonathan Quick has been terrific of late, going 6-0-1 during his last seven games while allowing fewer than two goals in five of those contests. The 29-year-old remains one shutout away from passing John Vanbiesbrouck and Frank Brimsek and becoming the all-time leader among American-born goaltenders with 41. Tyler Toffoli leads Los Angeles with 19 goals but has scored just one in his last five games.
OVERTIME
1. Red Wings D Jakub Kindl cleared waivers Sunday and likely will be assigned to Grand Rapids of the American Hockey League.
2. Los Angeles C Jeff Carter netted both of his club's tallies in its first meeting with the Red Wings this season.
3. Detroit has scored a total of five goals in its last three contests.