Match-up - Los Angeles Kings (22-18-12) @ Columbus Blue Jackets (23-25-3) Road/Home records - 6-12-6 -------------- 11-13-2 TV - SNE, SNO, FS-W, FS-O Puck drop - 7:00 p.m. ET Season series - 1-0 Kings Last 10 - Kings: 3-5-2 ------------ Blue Jackets: 5-5-0 Projected starting goalies - Jonathan Quick vs Curtis McElhinney
Projected lines for the Kings via DailyFaceoff.com:
Marian Gaborik - Anze Kopitar - Dustin Brown Dwight King - Jeff Carter - Tyler Toffoli Trevor Lewis - Jarret Stoll - Justin Williams Kyle Clifford - Nick Shore - Jordan Nolan
Jake Muzzin - Drew Doughty Alec Martinez - Matt Greene Robyn Regehr - Jamie McBain
Projected lines for the Blue Jackets:
Nick Foligno - Ryan Johansen - Cam Atkinson Scott Hartnell - Brandon Dubinsky - Corey Tropp Alex Wennberg - Artem Anisimov - Jack Skille Matt Calvert - Mark Letestu - Jared Boll
Jack Johnson - David Savard Fedor Tyutin - Dalton Prout Kevin Connauton - Jordan Leopold
Injured: Boone Jenner, Jeremy Morin, Brian Gibbons, Nathan Horton, Ryan Murray, James Wisniewski, Sergei Bobrovsky.
What to watch:
1) Though the Kings don't have the record to back it up, they've constantly outshot/outplayed their opponents - sometimes significantly - over the last month or so, but have been sunk by sub .900SV% goaltending by Quick over that span. With LA in desperate need of points, and Columbus struggling mightily this season (not to mention without Wisniewski/Murray) you can expect the Kings to be at their best tonight.
2) Curtis McElhinney started the season poorly, but he's quietly been playing very well of late. He has won six of his last eight starts, and hasn't allowed more than three goals in that span. His save percentage is up to a very respectable .915 on the season, and he's probably played his way into another contract next year; whether that be in Columbus or elsewhere.
3) David Savard has been put back on a pairing with Jack Johnson, and they'll presumably go up against Anze Kopitar's line tonight. I'm pretty confident in saying this won't end well.
4) Even with sub .900SV% goaltending of late, the Kings still average barely over 2.5 goals against per game. The Blue Jackets aren't going to get a ton of chances, so they'll need to capitalize on the one's they get.
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