Devils at Kings
With an ugly five-game road trip in their rear-view mirror, the Los Angeles Kings have a chance to make up ground in the Pacific Division as they continue a six-game stretch in which they barely need to leave the city limits. Los Angeles looks to run its home winning streak to four games when they host the New Jersey Devils on Saturday afternoon.
The Kings scored only five goals while dropping four straight away from home, but nearly matched that total with a 4-2 win over visiting Edmonton on Thursday. "For us, it's the read, shutting down and getting in on the forecheck," Los Angeles forward Devin Setoguchi told reporters. "When we forecheck well, that's usually when we create our opportunities." New Jersey will be making the third stop on a four-game road trip after its five-game winning streak was snapped in a 3-2 setback at Anaheim on Thursday. The Devils have won four of their last five against the Kings, including their last three in Los Angeles.
TV: 4 p.m. ET, MSG Plus (New Jersey), FSN West (Los Angeles)
ABOUT THE DEVILS (9-4-3): With Taylor Hall out at least three weeks and fellow forward Michael Cammalleri not with the team due to personal reasons, New Jersey needs to find more scoring. Devante Smith-Pelly ended a five-game point drought with his second goal in Thursday's loss to Anaheim. “This year, there’s been a little bit more inconsistency at times in the hardness and using his physicality and his size,” coach John Hynes told reporters. “To have success, he has to play that game and then that game has to be consistent.”
ABOUT THE KINGS (8-9-1): Peter Budaj has been an ironman in net, starting 14 of 15 games since Jonathan Quick and Jeff Zatkoff suffered early-season injuries. He could get a reprieve in one of the two weekend games as Zatkoff pronounced himself "100 percent confident now" from a groin injury that limited him to two periods since Oct. 18. “He said he was ready last time. He was ready to play, but there’s three periods,” coach Darryl Sutter told reporters. “I don’t have much patience for that stuff now.”
OVERTIME
1. Kings C Anze Kopitar (upper body) is expected to sit out his fourth straight game.
2. New Jersey's power play is 0-for-24 on the power play in the last seven games.
3. The Kings also are struggling with the man advantage, converting on 2-for-36 in the last 11 contests.