Preview: Chicago at Los Angeles
When: 10:30 PM ET, Saturday, November 28, 2015
Where: Staples Center, Los Angeles, California
After finishing up a five-game road trip, the Los Angeles Kings kick off a five-game homestand with a tough test as they face the Chicago Blackhawks on Saturday. Los Angeles, which holds a one-point lead over San Jose atop the Pacific Division, lost in a shootout at Tampa Bay on Wednesday to cap its 2-1-2 trek.
“I thought we had an opportunity to win every game,” Kings coach Darryl Sutter said. “Good test of character, and we showed up.” Los Angeles will attempt to avenge a 4-2 loss at Chicago on Nov. 2, a game in which the Blackhawks scored three unanswered goals in the third period to snap the Kings’ seven-game winning streak. Chicago flashed that quick-strike offense in a stunning 3-2 victory at Anaheim on Friday, scoring twice with under two minutes to play in the third period before Artem Anisimov won it in overtime. Patrick Kane ran his point streak to 18 games, tying the longest in NHL history by an American-born player.
TV: 10:30 p.m. ET, WGN (Chicago), FSN West (Los Angeles)
ABOUT THE BLACKHAWKS (13-8-2): Kane was less than 30 seconds away from seeing his point streak come to an end when he earned the secondary assist on defenseman Duncan Keith’s tying goal to equal the American record shared by Ed Olczyk (1989-90) and Phil Kessel (2008-09). Kane, who entered play Friday with a league-leading 34 points, has collected 10 goals and 19 assists during his streak. Keith has scored in back-to-back games and has four goals in seven contests since returning to the lineup after missing nearly a month following knee surgery.
ABOUT THE KINGS (13-8-1): Chicago and Los Angeles have alternated Stanley Cup championships over the last four seasons, one of the reasons Kings star defenseman Drew Doughty is eagerly anticipating Saturday’s matchup. “I love playing Chicago,” Doughty told the Los Angeles Times. “They’re one of my favorite teams to play. That’s because they’re so difficult to beat and the challenge is at such a high level.” Offseason acquisition Milan Lucic scored Los Angeles’ lone goal against Tampa Bay and has tallied five times in his last nine games.
OVERTIME
1. Chicago is 5-1-1 in its last seven games and 3-1-1 on its annual circus road trip that concludes Saturday.
2. Kings G Jonathan Quick is 7-15-1 with a 2.90 goals-against average versus Chicago.
3. Kane has recorded nine goals and 28 points in 28 games against Los Angeles.
PREDICTION: Kings 3, Blackhawks 2