Avalanche at Kings
The Los Angeles Kings attempt to extend their winning streak to four games as they make a cameo appearance at home to face the Colorado Avalanche on Wednesday. Los Angeles wrapped up a 3-2-0 trek on Tuesday with its third straight victory, a 3-2 triumph at Arizona, and heads back out on the road for four more contests following its meeting with Colorado.
Captain Anze Kopitar has been thriving in 2017, collecting 14 points in 12 games since the beginning of the calendar year after a one-goal, two-assist performance against the Coyotes. The league-worst Avalanche once again failed to reach the 30-point mark for the season on Tuesday as they suffered their season-high eighth consecutive loss (0-7-1) with a 5-1 setback at Anaheim. Colorado, which also has dropped six straight on the road (0-5-1), has scored an NHL-low 94 goals and has netted more than two tallies just once in its last 13 contests. The Avalanche had a solid offensive showing in their first meeting with Los Angeles this campaign, however, as defenseman Patrick Wiercioch recorded a goal and an assist in a 4-1 home victory Nov. 15.
TV: 10:30 p.m. ET, NBCSN
ABOUT THE AVALANCHE (13-32-2): Mikko Rantanen provided the only offense for Colorado on Tuesday, scoring for the second straight game after going eight contests without a goal. The 20-year-old Finnish right wing became just the fourth member of the team to reach the 20-point mark this season and is the 18th rookie in the league to hit the plateau. Rene Bourque and defenseman Tyson Barrie returned to the lineup Tuesday after missing three and four games, respectively, with lower-body injuries.
ABOUT THE KINGS (25-21-4): Jeff Carter moved closer to 300 career assists Tuesday, setting up defenseman Jake Muzzin's game-winning power-play goal late in the third period to climb within three of the milestone. The 32-year-old All-Star, who leads the team with 24 tallies and 44 points, looks to avoid going a season-high five games without a goal when he takes the ice Wednesday. All-Star defenseman Drew Doughty has registered a goal and five assists during his five-game point streak but has been kept off the scoresheet in each of his last three home contests.
OVERTIME
1. Kings LW Andy Andreoff's next game will be his 100th in the NHL.
2. Colorado All-Star C Nathan MacKinnon leads the team with 33 points but is mired in a seven-game goal-scoring drought.
3. Los Angeles D Matt Greene (undisclosed), who was placed on injured reserve Monday, will miss his sixth consecutive game.