Rangers at Kings
After handily taking care of their strongest Western Conference rivals on the road, the Pacific Division-leading Los Angeles Kings begin a brief homestand against two of the better teams the East has to offer when they face off against the New York Rangers on Thursday. Los Angeles rolled past Chicago and Dallas earlier this week, outscoring the Central Division powerhouses 10-2, to improve to 9-2-2 in its last 13 contests — with both regulation losses coming against Anaheim, which is four points back in the division race.
Anze Kopitar, who leads the Kings with 62 points, has recorded at least one in seven of his last eight games — collecting four goals and six assists in that span. New York kicked off its California road trip in fine fashion Wednesday, edging Anaheim 2-1 behind defenseman Kevin Klein's first career two-goal performance. The Rangers, who have reached the 40-win plateau for the ninth time in 11 seasons, are two points ahead of the New York Islanders for second place in the Metropolitan Division as the rivals jockey for home-ice advantage in what could be a first-round showdown this postseason. Los Angeles looks to complete a sweep of the two-game season series after posting a 5-4 overtime win at Madison Square Garden on Feb. 12 in which Kopitar recorded his third career hat trick.
TV: 10:30 p.m. ET, NHL Network, Sportsnet, MSG (New York), FSN West (Los Angeles)
ABOUT THE RANGERS (40-23-7): Rick Nash apparently did not find his lost scoring touch during his 20-game absence with a leg injury, as he has failed to land on the scoresheet in three contests since returning. The former Maurice Richard Trophy winner, who scored a career-high 42 goals last season, has gone 12 games without a tally. Klein has become a clutch goal-scorer of late, recording four game-winners each of the last two seasons after netting a total of two during his first 10 NHL seasons — nine of which were with Nashville.
ABOUT THE KINGS (42-22-5): Tyler Toffoli, who leads the team with 26 goals, very well may be breaking out of his slump. The 23-year-old has tallied in two straight contests following a 10-game drought and a stretch during which he scored only twice in 23 games. Jeff Carter needs two tallies in his last 13 contests to avoid finishing below the 20-goal mark for the first time since netting 14 with Philadelphia in 2006-07.
OVERTIME
1. Kings LW Tanner Pearson, who has gone six games without a goal, is one away from eclipsing his career high of 12 set last season.
2. The change of scenery has not done much to help Rangers C Eric Staal's offensive game, as the veteran has recorded only three points in eight games since being acquired from Carolina.
3. Los Angeles is 6-1-1 in its last eight home games.