SoCal NHL Preview

Anaheim (45-27-8) at Los Angeles (32-42-7), 1:00 pm, FSN

EDT LOS ANGELES (Ticker) - The Anaheim Ducks haven't played since last Sunday, but a meeting with the lowly Los Angeles Kings should get them back in sync before the start of the playoffs.

The Ducks, locked in as the No. 4 seed in the Western Conference playoffs, look to continue their dominance against the Kings when the teams face off on Saturday. Anaheim is 6-2-0 over its last eight games, including a 3-2 shootout victory over the Dallas Stars on Sunday. Despite not playing for six days, Anaheim should have no problem getting back on track against the Kings after posting a 5-2-0 record during the first seven meetings this season.

However, Los Angeles will bring their best effort in its season finale on Saturday as it hopes to avoid finishing at the bottom of the NHL standings. The Kings(32-42-7) enter the contest tied with the Tampa Bay Lightning (31-41-9) for the worst record in the league with 71 points. Los Angeles is already assured a last place finish in the Pacific Division for the first time since the 1998-99 campaign. Despite their dismal season, the Kings managed to forge a 4-2 victory against the Pacific Division champion San Jose Sharks on Thursday

SoCal NHL Preview

San Jose (49-21-10) at Los Angeles (31-42-7), 7:30 pm, FSN

LOS ANGELES (Ticker) - Evgeni Nabokov understands that the San Jose Sharks' goal is to win the Stanley Cup. Nabokov makes a rare appearance on the bench Thursday when the Sharks visit the Los Angeles Kings in the finale of a home-and-home series.

The 32-year-old Nabokov picked up his 46th win of the season on Tuesday, making 16 saves to help San Jose forge a 5-2 victory over the Kings. With the win, the Sharks goaltender is just two wins away from equalling the NHL single-season wins record of 48 - set by Martin Brodeur of the New Jersey Devils during the 2006-07 campaign.

However, with only two games remaining and the Pacific Division title already in hand, coach Ron Wilson has decided to rest Nabokov in preparation for the playoffs. "I wouldn't play him just to tie Brodeur's record," Wilson said. "The plan now is for (backup Brian) Boucher to play in LA and (Nabokov) in Dallas. (The plan has) been in place for a while. "If I play (Nabokov) in both games looking for a record, it comes back to haunt you, because Boucher goes into the playoffs not having played for a long time." Boucher is 3-6-0 with one tie in 11 career appearances against the Kings, but did win his lone start against the Sharks cross-state rivals on March 18, making 29 saves en route to a 2-1 victory.

Patrick O'Sullivan and Raitis Ivanans both scored goals on Tuesday for the Kings, who fell to 3-2-1 over the last six games.

SoCal NHL Preview

Los Angeles (31-41-7) at San Jose (48-21-10), 7:30 pm, FSN

SAN JOSE, California (Ticker) - The San Jose Sharks will try to keep rolling Tuesday when they host the lowly Los Angeles Kings. The Sharks are 17-0-2 since losing a season-high five straight games from February 12-20. They wrapped up their third Pacific Division title with Friday's 3-1 win over the Anaheim Ducks. Trailing the Detroit Red Wings (52-20-7) by five points with just three games left, San Jose will most likely be the No. 2 seed in the Western Conference playoffs. Captain Joe Thornton leads the club with 28 goals and 93 points this season. He has been a major factor in the Sharks' recent success, totaling eight goals over the last five games. The Kings remain in last place in the West, where they have been for the majority of the season. Anze Kopitar has a team-high 30 goals this season for Los Angeles, which is coming off a 7-2 loss to the Dallas Stars.

SoCal NHL Preview

Dallas (42-29-6) at Los Angeles (31-40-7), 1:00 pm

LOS ANGELES (Ticker) -- The Dallas Stars finally earned a point in their last game. They'll need a few more if they want to wrap up a playoff spot. The Stars try to snap a five-game winless streak Saturday, when they visit the lowly Los Angeles Kings.

Dallas, which had lost four games in a row in regulation, notched its first point since posting a 3-0 victory over the Colorado Avalanche on March 9 by forcing overtime against the San Jose Sharks on Thursday. However, in the extra session, the Stars got into penalty trouble as goaltender Marty Turco was given a double-minor for high-sticking at 1:15 and defenseman Trevor Daley was whistled for hooking 91 seconds later. Joe Thornton proceeded to score the game-winning goal during the 5-on-3 power play with 2:02 left to play. Despite the loss, the one point was good enough to draw Dallas (42-29-6) even in points with the Calgary Flames (40-27-10) for fifth place in the Western Conference. Colorado made it three teams with 90 points on Friday by recording a 5-4 shootout victory over Edmonton.

Meanwhile, the Kings, who are tied with the Tampa Bay Lightning for the lowest point total in the NHL with 69, improved to 3-0-1 over their last four games with a decisive 4-0 triumph over the Phoenix Coyotes on Thursday. Rookie Erik Ersberg made 38 saves for Los Angeles, registering his second career shutout in just his 10th NHL start. The 26-year-old Swedish netminder is 5-3-3 with a 1.97 goals-against average and a .942 save percentage since being recalled from the American Hockey League on February 21.

SoCal NHL Preview

Phoenix (37-34-6) at Los Angeles (30-40-7), 7:30 pm, FSN

LOS ANGELES (Ticker) - With just five games remaining, the Phoenix Coyotes have to be perfect to make the playoffs. The Coyotes go for their second consecutive win and try to keep their slim postseason hopes alive on Thursday when they visit the Los Angeles Kings.

Phoenix (37-34-6) is tied with the Chicago Blackhawks (36-33-8) for 11th place in the Western Conference and trails the Vancouver Canucks (38-29-10) by six points for the eighth and final playoff spot. The Coyotes earned two crucial points on Tuesday, escaping with a 5-4 overtime victory over the San Jose Sharks. Martin Hanzal scored the game-winning goal in the extra session after the team's combined to score five goals within two minutes, 38 seconds early in the third period. The 21-year-old Hanzal, who is sixth on the team with 34 points, has just seven goals this season and notched his first tally since January 30 on Tuesday, helping the Coyotes snap a 0-4-1 stretch over their previous five games.

The Kings, who own the worst record in the league, had a rare two-game win streak snapped on Wednesday, suffering a 2-1 shootout loss to the Anaheim Ducks. Rookie goaltender Erik Ersberg made 39 saves for Los Angeles, which failed to complete just its third three-game win streak of the season.

SoCal NHL Preview

Los Angeles (30-40-6) at Anaheim (43-26-8), 7:00 pm

ANAHEIM, California (Ticker) - A pair of clubs heading in opposite directions meet Wednesday when the Anaheim Ducks host the Los Angeles Kings. The Ducks, reigning Stanley Cup champions and virtually in the playoffs, will be looking to extend their team-record nine-game home winning streak. The Kings are simply hoping to avoid finishing last in the NHL.

Anaheim, 25-8-4 at home, is one win away from matching the franchise record for home victories in a season. "If it wasn't for our home record, we wouldn't be sitting where we are right now," Ducks' center Rob Niedermayer said. Anaheim has surged into fourth place in the Western Conference with a 16-4-1 record since February 5. The Ducks haven't lost at home since a 4-2 defeat to Dallas on February 15. Anaheim is coming off a 2-1 victory over Phoenix on Saturday despite the absence of No. 1 goaltender Jean-Sebastien Giguere because of back spasms. The Ducks have lost four of their last five games against the Kings, but have won three straight at home in the series.

Los Angeles, which has a league-low 66 points, has won two straight for the first time since early February. The Kings can avoid finishing last in the league if they can catch the Tampa Bay Lighting, who are two points ahead. "Our fate has kind of been written," Kings' defenseman Rob Blake said. "We're out of the playoffs. We want a little respect."

SoCal NHL Preview

Los Angeles (29-40-6) at Dallas (42-28-5) 3:00 pm

DALLAS (Ticker) - The Dallas Stars know that now is not the time to start losing games in bunches. The Stars will try to break out of their recent slump when they host the lowly Los Angeles Kings on Saturday. Dallas (42-38-5), which currently owns the fifth spot in the Western Conference, is just three points ahead of Vancouver (38-27-10) and Calgary (38-26-10) - with Colorado (39-30-6) owning eighth place with 84 points.

The Stars had an opportunity to move into fourth place in the West on Wednesday, but instead fell to 1-6-0 in the month of March after a power-play goal by Todd Bertuzzi with 28 seconds remaining in the third period allowed the Anaheim Ducks to skate to a 2-1 victory. "We're finding ways to lose rather than ways to win," Stars coach Dave Tippett said. "It's a break here or there, but it's a break you have to make." The Stars should rebound against the Kings (29-40-6), who own the worst record in the NHL with just 64 points.

Despite the dismal record, the Kings ended a two-game losing streak with a narrow 6-5 shootout victory against the Phoenix Coyotes on Thursday. Tom Preissing scored two goals to lead Los Angeles, which is 3-3-0 against Dallas this season - with two of those victories coming after regulation.

SoCal NHL Preview

Los Angeles (28-40-6) at Phoenix (36-33-5), 7:00 pm

GLENDALE, Arizona (Ticker) - The Phoenix Coyotes aim to snap a three-game skid on Thursday against the Los Angeles Kings, a team they have dominated recently. A game against Los Angeles is just what the doctor ordered for the Coyotes, who have lost five of seven (2-5-0) and are seven points out of the eighth and final playoff spot in the Western Conference.

Phoenix did not do itself any favors this week as it lost twice to Edmonton and once to Vancouver - two teams it is battling for a postseason berth. Time is running out for Phoenix, which has just eight games left to make gain ground on three teams. But captain Shane Doan is not ready to throw in the towel. "We've got eight games left, it can't be the end," said Doan, who had a goal and two assists in Tuesday's 8-4 loss to the Oilers. "We've got to find a way to win the next one and not get too overly concerned about what everyone else is doing and hope for help." The Coyotes will look to stay in the race by beating up on the league-worst Kings, who they are 6-0-0 against this season. That dominance is even more pronounced here, where Phoenix has won 17 of the last 20 meetings (17-2-1) since the start of the 2000 season.

Los Angeles, which has a league-worst 62 points, has not beaten the Coyotes since a 4-0 win on October 19, 2006. The Kings, who have lost two straight, are just 2-6-3 in their last 11 games. Los Angeles went 0-for-4 with a man advantage in Tuesday's 2-1 loss to San Jose, and has converted just four of its last 42 power-play chances.

SoCal NHL Preview

San Jose (42-21-9) at Los Angeles (28-39-6), 7:30 pm, FSN

LOS ANGELES (Ticker) - With their 11-game winning streak over, the San Jose Sharks will turn their attention to securing the Pacific Division title. Evgeni Nabokov attempts to help the Sharks extend their points streak to 13 games Tuesday when they visit the lowly Los Angeles Kings.

San Jose suffered a 2-1 shootout loss to the Edmonton Oilers on Sunday, ending the franchise's longest winning streak. The Sharks currently hold a three-point edge on the Anaheim Ducks for the top spot in the division. The biggest reason for the club's success is Nabokov, who has emerged as a Vezina Trophy candidate. The 32-year-old netminder started all but two games this season, posting a 41-20-8 record with a 2.13 goals-against average and six shutouts.

The Kings, who have the worst record in the NHL, are the only team to be official eliminated from the postseason. Los Angeles is coming off a 2-0 setback to the Minnesota Wild on Saturday.

SoCal NHL Preview

Los Angeles (28-38-6) at Minnesota (37-26-8), 5:00 pm

ST. PAUL, Minnesota (Ticker) - After a pair of regulation losses and three consecutive shootout setbacks, the Minnesota Wild are happy to be facing a team they know they can beat. The Wild try to snap a five-game losing streak on Saturday when they host the Los Angeles Kings.

Minnesota, which is tied for sixth place in the Western Conference with the Calgary Flames, hasn't helped its cause in the playoff race this month, posting a dismal 1-2-3 record in March. However, the Wild's only win in their last five games came during a 2-1 overtime victory against the Kings on March 2. Marian Gaborik scored the only goal in regulation before Martin Skoula clinched the win with a tally in the extra session. Gaborik, Minnesota's leading scorer with 35 goals and 70 points this season, was held scoreless in his next five games following his goal against the Kings. He finally ending the drought in the third period during Thursday's 4-3 shootout loss to the New Jersey Devils. Gaborik hopes he can continue to find the next against the Kings, who the Wild are 6-0-1 against over the last two seasons.

The Kings broke their latest two-game slide with a decisive 4-1 victory over the Nashville Predators on Thursday. Alexander Frolov scored two goals to lead Los Angeles, which owns the worst record in the Western Conference with just 62 points this season.

SoCal NHL Preview

Los Angeles (27-38-6) at Nashville (35-28-8), 5:00 pm

NASHVILLE, Tennessee (Ticker) - The Nashville Predators need to get on track if they are going to stay in the playoff hunt. The Predators attempt to snap a three-game home losing streak on Thursday when they host the dismal Los Angeles Kings.

Nashville fell to 1-3-0 in its last four games on Tuesday, enduring a narrow 2-1 setback to the San Jose Sharks. Jason Arnott scored the only goal for the Predators, who remained in ninth place in the Western Conference, two points behind the Vancouver Canucks (35-25-10). Arnott, an All-Star who leads Nashville with 65 points and is second on the team with 25 goals, scored on a power play at 5:29 of the third period to end a five-game goal scoring drought.

The Kings fell even further down the standings on Monday suffering a 2-1 overtime loss to the Canucks. Los Angeles gave up the tying goal with 2:41 remaining in the third period before it was sent home just 46 seconds into the extra session. With the loss, the Kings are just 1-4-3 over their last eight games.

SoCal NHL Preview

Vancouver (34-24-10) at Los Angeles (27-38-5), 7:30pm

LOS ANGELES (Ticker) - The Vancouver Canucks will look to avoid being swept in a season series with the Los Angeles Kings for the first time in 27 years when the teams clash at the Staples Center on Monday.

The Canucks are tied with Nashville (35-27-8) for the eighth and final playoff spot in the Western Conference, but would be in a far better standing had they been more successful against the lowly Kings.

Los Angeles, which has an NHL-low 59 points and will miss the playoffs for the fifth consecutive campaign, has defeated Vancouver all three times this season by an aggregate score of 12-7. The Canucks are three points behind Minnesota (37-26-7) and two points back of Calgary (35-23-10) and Colorado (37-27-6) in the battle for supremacy in the Northwest Division.

The game will mark the start of a four-game road trip for Vancouver, which is coming off a 4-2 win over St. Louis on Saturday for its second straight win. The Kings, who are 1-4-2 in their last seven games, suffered a 5-2 home loss to Montreal on Saturday.

SoCal NHL Preview

Ottawa (37-24-7) at Los Angeles (26-37-5), 7:30 pm, FSN

LOS ANGELES (Ticker) - A meeting with the worst team in the Western Conference might be exactly what the Ottawa Senators need to get back on track. The Senators continue a four-game Western Conference road trip on Thursday when they visit the lowly Los Angeles Kings.

Ottawa is just 1-5-1 in its last seven games, including a 3-2 overtime loss to the San Jose Sharks on Wednesday. With the loss, the Senators fell to 1-2-1 since general manager Bryan Murray took over behind the bench for John Paddock, who was fired on February 27. The Senators have lost four straight road games - one in overtime - but hope to break out of their slump against a dismal Kings squad, which fell to 0-2-3 over its last five games on Tuesday after enduring a 3-2 loss to the St. Louis Blues.

Los Angeles' already disappointing season took yet another turn for the worse Wednesday when starting goaltender Jason LaBarbera was lost for the rest of the season due to a sports hernia. The 28-year-old LaBarbera, who hasn't played since February 18, posted a 17-32-2 record this season with a 3.00 goals-against average and a .910 save percentage.

SoCal NHL Preview

Los Angeles (26-36-5) at St Louis (28-27-10), 5:30 pm, FSN

ST. LOUIS (Ticker) - The St. Louis Blues will have to end their offensive woes if they want to hang on to their fading playoff hopes. The Blues will try to end their six-game winless streak Tuesday when they host the Los Angeles Kings.

St. Louis has not managed more than one goal in a game and has been shutout twice over its current slide (0-5-1). Most recently, the Blues were blanked by San Jose Sharks, 2-0, on Saturday with backup goaltender Brian Boucher making his first start of the season. Brad Boyes, who signed a contract extension Saturday, has been held without a point for the last six games. Despite his recent struggles, Boyes still leads the club with 32 tallies this season. The Blues are eight points out of the final playoff spot and have fallen to 14th in the Western Conference.

The Kings are also struggling, as they have for the majority of the season. Los Angeles, which is wrapping up a four-game road trip, has not won in its previous four games (0-2-2).

SoCal NHL Preview

Los Angeles (26-36-4) at Minnesota (36-24-5), 4:00 pm, FSN

ST. PAUL, Minnesota (Ticker) - The Minnesota Wild aim to move back into first place in the Northwest Division on Sunday when they host the Los Angeles Kings.

Minnesota enters the contest tied with Calgary atop the division. Defenseman Brent Burns scored the game-winner and set up another goal as the Wild defeated the Florida Panthers, 3-2, on Friday for their second straight win. Burns' tally ended his nine-game goal scoring drought. The 22-year-old has 11 tallies and 33 points on the season.

The Kings, who own the NHL's worst record, are hoping to avoid their fourth straight loss. Los Angeles is coming off a 5-2 loss to the Colorado Avalanche on Saturday, which was marred by Colorado left wing Ryan Smyth getting carted off the ice on a stretcher.

In the waning moments of the second period, Smyth was driven face-first into the boards by Kings rookie defenseman Jack Johnson. Smyth, who stayed on the ice for several minutes before being placed on a stretcher, was conscious and walking in the locker room before being taken to the hospital for precautionary reasons. "He's a great player for them and it's unfortunate. He hit the turnbuckle there," Johnson said. "I don't want to hurt anyone out there. I was trying to play hard and pinch him off and get the puck, and he ended up getting pushed right into the turnbuckle."

SoCal NHL Preview

Chicago (28-26-6) at Los Angeles (26-34-3), 1:00 pm, FSN

LOS ANGELES (Ticker) - Rookie Jonathan Toews and the Chicago Blackhawks hope that Saturday's meeting against the Los Angeles Kings goes better than the last one did. In their previous meeting on New Year's Day, the 19-year-old Toews sprained his knee and the Blackhawks suffered a 9-2 setback to the Kings.

Toews did not return until February 10 and Chicago went 5-9-2 over that stretch without him, falling to the bottom of the Central Division standings. Since his return to the lineup, Toews has two goals and five points and the Blackhawks have posted a 4-1-1 record. Despite missing time with injury this season, Toews has still managed to tally 17 goals and 20 assists in 42 games.

Alexander Frolov notched a hat trick and Patrick O'Sullivan added four assists Thursday as Los Angeles skated to a 5-1 victory over the St. Louis Blues. Frolov, who has had three three-point performances over the previous eight games, leads the club with 35 assists and 54 points on the campaign.

SoCal NHL Capsule

Phoenix 4, Los Angeles 0 ------------------------------

LOS ANGELES (Ticker) -- Wayne Gretzky spent eight seasons with the Los Angeles Kings as a player, and he really seems to enjoy coaching against his former team. With his No. 99 jersey hanging from the rafters at the Staples Center, "The Great One" recorded his 100th career win as a coach Monday night as the Phoenix Coyotes defeated the Kings, 4-0, for the sixth straight time his season.

Gretzky, who holds almost every significant offensive record in the NHL, achieved the milestone in his third year behind the bench in Phoenix. Over that span, the Coyotes have posted a 15-6-1 record against the Kings. "I don't really worry about that stuff," said Gretzky of reaching the 100-win plateau. "We are in the hunt for the playoff drive and we are playing a lot better than most people anticipated. It was a great team effort. "There's something about this group. They rally around each other. I thought the guys came out and took a lead. We're definitely heading in the right direction for the playoffs."

The Hall of Famer, however, has yet to lead Phoenix to the postseason during his coaching tenure. That could change this season as the Coyotes have climbed into a three-way tie with the Calgary Flames and Vancouver Canucks for the final two spots in the Western Conference playoff race. Radim Vrbata scored a goal and set up two others and defenseman Ed Jovanovski added a goal and an assist for Phoenix, which posted a 4-3 victory over Los Angeles in the first game of the home-and-home series on Saturday.

SoCal NHL Preview

Phoenix (30-25-4) at Los Angeles (25-33-3), 7:30 pm, FSN

LOS ANGELES (Ticker) -- The Phoenix Coyotes have played the Los Angeles Kings five times to date this season. In each game, the Coyotes have come away with a victory. Phoenix will look for its sixth consecutive victory this season over its Pacific Division rival when the clubs meet on Monday in the second part of a home-and-home series.

The teams will meet a total of eight times this campaign, also squaring off on March 20 and 27. The perfect record against the Kings, owners of the league's worst record, has enabled Phoenix to make a run at a Western Conference playoff berth. The Coyotes currently occupy the 10th spot in the conference standings, just two points behind the eighth-place Calgary Flames.

Phoenix, which has won three straight after dropping four in a row, posted a 4-3 home victory over Los Angeles on Saturday. "We seem to have a little more structure in the offensive zone right now," said Coyotes coach Wayne Gretzky, who will seek his 100th coaching victory on Monday. Phoenix has scored four goals in each of the last four meetings. The Coyotes are 6-for-16 on the power play in the season series, while the Kings have gone 3-for-22.

So Cal NHL Preview

Los Angeles (25-32-3) at Phoenix (29-25-4), 6:00 pm

GLENDALE, Arizona (Ticker) - If the Phoenix Coyotes wish to make a serious run at the playoffs, they will need to have a successful two-game series against the NHL's worst team. The Coyotes will kick off a home-and-home series when they host the lowly Los Angeles Kings on Saturday in a Pacific Division battle.

Phoenix, which will visit Los Angeles on Monday, ended a four-game winless streak Thursday with a 5-2 victory over the division-leading Dallas Stars. Radim Vrbata and captain Shane Doan each scored a goal and set up two others and Stephen Reinprecht added three assists. Vrbata leads the club with 25 tallies, while Doan has a team-leading 38 assists and 57 points on the campaign.

The Kings are coming off a 6-3 triumph over the Calgary Flames on Friday. Rookie Brian Boyle continued the impressive start to his career in that one, notching his fourth goal in just his seventh career contest. Both rookie Teddy Purcell and defenseman Kevin Dallman scored their first goals of the season in Friday's win. Purcell, who was called up from Manchester of the American Hockey League on Friday, had his first career tally later that same day. Anze Kopitar leads Los Angeles with 25 goals and 55 points this season.

SoCal NHL Preview

Calgary (29-20-8) at Los Angeles (24-32-3), 7:30 pm, FSN

LOS ANGELES (Ticker) - The Calgary Flames look to even their record in February when they visit the lowly Los Angeles Kings on Friday.

The Flames opened the month with three losses in their first four games before getting back on track with back-to-back wins against the Edmonton Oilers and the San Jose Sharks during their last two contests. Dion Phaneuf scored with just 50 seconds left to play in regulation against the Sharks before assisting on Jarome Iginla's goal in the final minute of overtime as the Flames skated away with a thrilling 4-3 triumph. The All-Star Phaneuf, who signed a six-year contract extension on February 6, has scored six points over his last four games while Iginla picked up his team-leading 35th tally this season.

The Kings enter Friday's contest after suffering a 4-2 setback to the St. Louis Blues on Tuesday. Alexander Frolov scored a goal for Los Angeles against the Blues and has been absolutely on fire of late, logging at least one point in four of his last five games and 13 points over the previous 11 contests.