Hurricanes at Kings
The well-rested Los Angeles Kings hope to take advantage of a weary opponent when they continue their three-game homestand Thursday against the Carolina Hurricanes. Los Angeles played only two games during the first week of December and has had three days off since dropping a 5-4 shootout decision to Montreal on Sunday in the opener of its stretch at Staples Center.
Jeff Carter leads the Kings with 21 points after recording his team-high 11th goal and an assist against the Canadiens and is the only member of the club with more than seven tallies. Carolina must regroup from a brutal shootout loss in Anaheim on Wednesday that kicked off its California trip. The Hurricanes appeared to be on their way to a second straight victory after Teuvo Teravainen created a 5-3 lead midway through the third period, but they allowed two goals in the final 3:59 of the session and went on to suffer their sixth loss in eight games (2-4-2) — with all the defeats coming on the road. The 22-year-old Teravainen scored twice against the Ducks to end a nine-game drought and raise his season total to seven goals — two behind team co-leaders Jeff Skinner and Victor Rask.
TV: 10:30 p.m. ET, FSN Carolinas, FSN West (Los Angeles)
ABOUT THE HURRICANES (10-10-6): Rookie Sebastian Aho recorded a goal and an assist Wednesday for his third multi-point performance in the NHL and first since netting two tallies and setting up another on Nov. 12 against Washington. The 19-year-old Finnish right wing endured a pair of five-game droughts over 11 contests after his two-goal outburst and failed to register an assist in nine matches prior to Wednesday. Elias Lindholm traveled with the team but was scratched Wednesday after missing two games, while Jordan Staal and goaltender Eddie Lack remained home with concussions.
ABOUT THE KINGS (13-10-2): Anze Kopitar notched three assists against Montreal, giving him five in his last two games and a team-high 12 on the season despite missing five games because of injury. Tanner Pearson is second on the Kings with seven goals but is mired in a six-game drought. Andy Andreoff hopes to appear in his first game since Oct. 30 due to a thumb injury that sidelined him for 16 contests.
OVERTIME
1. The Hurricanes assigned D Klas Dahlbeck to Charlotte of the American Hockey League for a conditioning stint.
2. Carolina's five-goal effort Wednesday matched its season-high output for a single game.
3. Carter has recorded a league-leading six game-winning goals in 25 contests this season after registering the same amount in 77 matches last campaign.