The Los Angeles Kings are set to face off against the Colorado Avalanche tonight at Ball Arena. The puck drops at 9 p.m. ET, and the game will be broadcast on FDSNW and ALT.
Team Records and Season Performance
The Avalanche are currently leading the NHL and Western Conference with a record of 28-2-7. The Kings hold a 16-12-9 record. In their previous matchup this season, the Avalanche defeated the Kings 4-1. The Avalanche are coming off a 6-5 shootout victory against the Vegas Golden Knights. Meanwhile, the Kings are looking to build on their recent 6-1 win against the Anaheim Ducks.
Projected Lineups
Here are the projected lineups for tonight's game:
Los Angeles Kings * Alex Laferriere — Anze Kopitar — Adrian Kempe * Warren Foegele — Quinton Byfield — Trevor Moore * Kevin Fiala — Alex Turcotte — Andrei Kuzmenko * Joel Armia — Samuel Helenius — Corey Perry
- Mikey Anderson — Drew Doughty
- Joel Edmundson — Brandt Clarke
-
Brian Dumoulin — Cody Ceci
-
Anton Forsberg
- Pheonix Copley
Colorado Avalanche * Gabriel Landeskog — Nathan MacKinnon — Martin Necas * Artturi Lehkonen — Brock Nelson — Valeri Nichushkin * Victor Olofsson — Ross Colton — Gavin Brindley * Parker Kelly — Jack Drury — Joel Kiviranta
- Devon Toews — Cale Makar
- Josh Manson — Brent Burns
-
Samuel Girard — Sam Malinski
-
Mackenzie Blackwood
- Scott Wedgewood
Injury Report
- Kings: Darcy Kuemper is out with an upper-body injury.
- Avalanche: Logan O'Connor is out following hip surgery.
Players to Watch
- For the Kings, Adrian Kempe leads the team with 31 points (13 goals, 18 assists). Alex Laferriere is also a player to watch after registering his first career hat trick in the previous game against the Ducks.
- For the Avalanche, Nathan MacKinnon is having a stellar season with 64 points (31 goals, 33 assists). Martin Necas has also been a key contributor with 49 points (18 goals, 31 assists).
Keys to the Game
The Kings will need to find a way to generate more consistent offense against a strong Avalanche team. The Avalanche, on the other hand, will aim to continue their dominant home record and capitalize on their offensive firepower. Goaltending will also be crucial, with Anton Forsberg expected to start for the Kings and Mackenzie Blackwood likely between the pipes for the Avalanche.
