Flames at Kings
After ending both a pronounced scoring drought and a three-game losing skid in their last contest, the Los Angeles Kings are hoping that Saturday's visit from the Calgary Flames will be just what the doctor ordered to keep their offense going. After all, Los Angeles erupted for 14 goals in four games last season to sweep its Pacific Division rival.
This season has seen mixed results as the Kings were overruled by three consecutive shutouts before Trevor Lewis ended the scoreless streak at 205 minutes, 25 seconds on Thursday and Nic Dowd tallied 2:37 into overtime in a 3-2 win versus Pittsburgh. Los Angeles, which has mustered only 23 goals this season, could see its offense get a boost against a Calgary club that is yielding an NHL fourth-worst 3.42 tallies per contest. Offseason acquisition Brian Elliott (3-5-0, 3.12 goals-against average) has yet to recapture his 2015-16 magic of posting a 23-8-6 mark with an NHL-best .930 save percentage. The 31-year-old received a night off in the Flames' 3-2 victory at San Jose on Thursday, two days removed from permitting four goals on 21 shots in a 5-1 setback at Chicago.
TV: 10 p.m. ET, CBC, SN1 (Calgary), FSN West (Los Angeles)
ABOUT THE FLAMES (5-6-1): Matthew Tkachuk enjoyed the best outing of his young career on Thursday, scoring twice and logging 16:10 of ice time to snap Calgary's two-game losing skid and even its mark at 1-1-0 on its four-game road trip. Michael Frolik set up both of the 18-year-old's tallies to increase his point total to five (two goals, three assists) with a plus-5 rating in his last four games. Johnny Gaudreau is singing a much different tune after being held off the scoresheet in three straight contests and mustering just three shots while recording a minus-5 rating, but the diminutive star has collected 11 points (four goals, seven assists) in nine outings versus Los Angeles.
ABOUT THE KINGS (5-6-0): Anze Kopitar has been held off the scoresheet in each of his last four games, but doused the Flames with one goal and five assists in last season's lopsided series. Defenseman Alec Martinez leads the team with nine points, including eight (two goals, six assists) in his last eight games. The 2014 Stanley Cup hero hasn't been as fortunate against Calgary, as he has been limited to just two assists in 18 career encounters.
OVERTIME
1. All five of Los Angeles' wins have come past regulation this season.
2. Calgary is 0-for-10 on the power play in the last four contests and has failed to convert with the man advantage in nine of its 12 games.
3. Kings D Tom Gilbert will serve the second contest of his three-game suspension for boarding Anaheim's F Nick Ritchie.