Kings at Ducks
Although the Anaheim Ducks can clinch their fifth consecutive Pacific Division title on Sunday, coach Randy Carlyle and crew have long insisted that qualifying for the NHL's second season was the lone goal for the club. While that may be the public rallying cry, the Ducks are playing their best hockey in the midst of a 13-game point streak (10-0-3) and can finish atop the division by securing just one point against the visiting Los Angeles Kings.
"It's a feel-good story but when the first game of the playoffs start, it means nothing," Carlyle told the Orange County Register. "Because everybody goes back to zero. That's what it is. Obviously you feel much better about your group but you've got to caution yourself. There's going to be another intensity level coming." John Gibson has been up to the challenge by stopping all 37 shots he faced in Thursday's 4-0 win over Chicago for his sixth shutout of the season - with two of those coming at the expense of Los Angeles. Gibson has stopped 63 of 64 shots to win back-to-back outings and likely wrest the No. 1 goaltender's position away from former King Jonathan Bernier, who posted an impressive 11-1-2 mark with a 1.91 goals-against average during the 14 games of his absence. While Anaheim holds a two-point lead over second-place Edmonton, Los Angeles has been eliminated from the playoff discussion and will look to be content with claiming a third victory in the five-game season series versus the Ducks.
TV: 8:30 p.m. ET, FSN West (Los Angeles), SN1, Prime (Anaheim)
ABOUT THE KINGS (39-35-7): Jeff Carter leads Los Angeles with 32 goals this season, but joined captain Anze Kopitar (team-leading 37 assists) in setting up all three tallies in Los Angeles' 3-2 overtime victory versus Chicago on Saturday. The 32-year-old Carter also recorded a three-point performance - all in the second period, no less - in the Kings' 3-2 victory over Anaheim on Nov. 20. Reigning Norris Trophy winner Drew Doughty scored and set up a goal in that contest and also found the net in overtime on Saturday.
ABOUT THE DUCKS (45-23-13): Injuries are the name of the game with All-Star defenseman Cam Fowler expected to be sidelined anywhere from two to six weeks following a knee-on-knee collision with Calgary captain Mark Giordano on Tuesday. The loose timetable also stems from Fowler's knee injuries of the past, as the 25-year-old missed significant action during the 2013-14 and 2015-16 seasons because of ligament sprains. The news is considerably better for blue-liner Hampus Lindholm, who participated in Saturday's practice and is a game-time decision after missing three straight contests due to an upper-body injury.
OVERTIME
1. Should Anaheim and Edmonton finish tied in points, the next criteria to determine the Pacific Division champion would be regulation/overtime wins (both currently have 42) and then the winner of the season series (Oilers).
2. Longtime Kings broadcaster Bob Miller will call the final game of his Hall of Fame career on Sunday.
3. Ducks F Nick Ritchie will serve the first contest of his two-game suspension on Sunday for roughing Chicago D Michal Rozsival, with the latter tilt being in the opener of the team's first-round playoff series.