Canucks at Kings
The Los Angeles Kings have won five of their last seven games but still have fallen out of first place in the Pacific Division, as their only two losses in that stretch came against new leader Anaheim. Los Angeles begins its quest to regain the top spot when it continues its five-game homestand against the division-rival Vancouver Canucks on Monday.
The Kings are 1-1-0 on the homestand and 4-2-0 during a string of nine straight games in southern California. Vancouver posted a 4-2 victory in San Jose on Saturday to halt a three-game slide that included a pair of home losses to the Sharks but paid a price as captain Henrik Sedin exited with an upper-body injury that will sideline him Monday. The Canucks' postseason chances are slim as they trail Minnesota by 10 points for the second wild-card spot in the Western Conference with 18 games remaining and one team between them. Vancouver was blanked at home in its last meeting with the Kings but is 1-0-1 at Los Angeles this season, including a shutout victory Oct. 13.
TV: 10:30 p.m. ET, Sportsnet Pacific (Vancouver), KCOP-13 (Los Angeles)
ABOUT THE CANUCKS (25-27-12): Sedin did not accompany the team to Los Angeles, returning to Vancouver for evaluation after sustaining a hard hit from San Jose's Brent Burns. The Canucks also could be without Chris Tanev as the defenseman is listed as questionable after also suffering an upper-body injury in Saturday's contest. Radim Vrbata, who hasn't played since Feb. 21, could miss his sixth straight game because of a groin injury.
ABOUT THE KINGS (38-22-4): Los Angeles also could be down a player as Kris Versteeg is questionable with an upper-body injury he suffered in Saturday's loss to Anaheim. The Kings would like to see Tyler Toffoli regain his scoring touch as the 23-year-old - who leads the team with 24 goals - has scored once in his last 13 games and twice in 20 contests. Jeff Carter also is mired in a slump, with one goal in his last 12 games and two in 21 matches.
OVERTIME
1. Kings C Anze Kopitar needs one goal to hit 20 for the eighth time in his 10 NHL seasons.
2. Vancouver LW Daniel Sedin is five tallies shy of reaching 30 for the fifth time in his career and first since 2011-12.
3. Los Angeles C Vincent Lecavalier owns the worst career plus/minus rating among active players at minus-140.