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Game 40: Kings @ Oilers- Five things to watch |
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The Los Angeles Kings take their act to Edmonton tonight as they continue their Western Canada road swing against the Oilers. The Kings are coming off an exciting 4-3 victory over the Vancouver Canucks in a game that was more exciting than it should have been.
LA outshot the Canucks 28-18 and commanded the pace of play going into the third period. However Vancouver was able to hang around and were given a chance to win when Nikolay Goldobin scored late in the second period and Nic Dowd scored early in the third.
However, Kyle Clifford and Drew Doughty saved the day with two goals in the third to win their second regulation win in 10 games.
The Edmonton Oilers thought they were turning their season around after a slow start. They had won seven of their first 10 games in December, including four in a row against the Minnesota Wild, San Jose Sharks, St. Louis Blues, and Montreal Canadiens.
However, they tailed off in the last week of December where they lost to the Chicago Blackhawks and the Winnipeg Jets twice, including an embarrassing 5-0 loss on New Year’s Eve.
Tonight’s game will be the first of the 2017-18 season against these two teams will meet. Last season, the Oilers took the season series 3-2. This season there will only be four games played between the two teams and the Kings will want to keep the Oilers where they are, as they can be a threat to the Pacific Division should they catch fire.
Five things to watch:
1. Getting off on the right foot: So far this season the Kings have given up the first goal 23 times out of 39 games. Despite the fact that they are known as a third period team and have been able to come back in most of them, it isn’t sustainable, especially for a playoff contending team. There has been a lot of talk about play a 60 minute game but those first periods of a game has been elusive for them.
2. Embarrassed Oilers: No one likes to be blown out, nor shut out. For the Oilers the 5-0 loss was against a rival Canadian team and at home so that hurts more. Embarrassed teams tend to come out with fire after a game like that to try to make amends right away. The Kings will have to play a good road game and stem the tide before they have a chance to pounce.
3. Containing McDavid: It’s kind of an obvious one, but it has to be said when you’re dealing with the Oilers. McDavid is the golden goose who runs the show in Edmonton. The 2017 Hart Trophy winner is currently tied with Blake Wheeler for the second most points in the Western Conference and is one back of the leader, Nathan MackInnon. Number 97 has had a few different linemates this season but hasn’t found consistency with any of them. He is always a threat no matter who is playing with him.
4. Capitalize on special teams: One of the reasons the Oilers have struggled this year is because they are in the bottom third in both power play and penalty killing situations. In fact, the Oilers are currently dead last on the PK. While the Kings power play has not been that great (ranked 24th), it is more than capable of a good night. In order for that to happen the Kings have to carry the pace of play because it’s hard to draw penalties when you’re hemmed in your own zone. As well, LA’s well documented #1 penalty kill hasn’t allowed a goal past them in its last two games.
5. Line Juggling: Prior to Saturday’s game against the Canucks, John Stevens shuffled his lines to try and get more offense and it sparked for four goals. Tanner Pearson moved up with Kopitar and Brown, Marian Gaborik joined Toffoli and Kempe, and Alex Iafallo spent time on a checking line with Jokinen and Mitchell, after spending most of the year on the top line. The moves seemed to work as the line of Gaborik, Toffoli, and Kempe carried most of the offensive load on Saturday.
However, Stevens is known to shuffling things around mid-game if something isn’t working. Anze Kopitar is the most versatile center, whether it is on offense or defense so it’s often him that changes linemates.
Los Angeles Kings Blogger • 
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