Vancouver at Los Angeles 10/29/09

[LAKINGSNUT]

VANCOUVER CANUCKS (6-6-0)


at


LOS ANGELES KINGS (8-4-1)

GAME MEDIA
Game Time: 7:30 PM PST | 10:30 PM EST
Location: Staples Center | Los Angeles, CA
TV Broadcast:
Home Team: FS-W (HD)
Away Team: PPV
Radio Broadcast:
Home Team: KTLK AM 1150
Road Team: Team 1040
XM Radio Channel: XM 205
Online Radio broadcast stream: NHL Game Radio: Canucks at Kings
Online Webcast: Hockey Night on Yahoo: Canucks at Kings OR Vancouver at Los Angeles


Up next for Kings: Thursday vs. Vancouver

Kings to try and start a new streak against the Canucks.

Update: The Kings' four-game winning streak ended Wednesday in their 2-1 shootout loss at San Jose, but they have earned points in five straight games. Anze Kopitar's scoring streak ended at six games, but he still leads the NHL with 21 points. The Canucks absorbed a setback Wednesday when goaltender Roberto Luongo was found to have a fractured rib. He's expected to be out for a week. Backup Andrew Raycroft is expected to start tonight. Center Ryan Johnson won't play as a precaution after he fell and crashed headfirst into the boards and was briefly knocked out Tuesday.

-- Helene Elliott


CANUCKS (6-6-0) at KINGS (8-4-1)

Last 10: Canucks 6-4-0; Kings 6-3-1.

Season Series: This is the first of four meetings between the teams. In their most recent showdown back on April 9, Roberto Luongo stopped all 20 shots he faced to lead Vancouver to a 1-0 victory at GM Place. Ryan Kesler scored the lone goal.

Big Story: Hockey in Southern California is back in a big way. While the Anaheim Ducks have been a force to be reckoned with in recent seasons, Los Angeles was in rebuilding mode. Those days seem to be over, however, as the Kings added pieces such as Ryan Smyth and Rob Scuderi during the offseason and are off to a terrific start in the new campaign. Nearly one month into the season, Los Angeles finds itself in a first-place tie in the Pacific Division.

Team Scope:

Canucks: Vancouver looked to be in good shape on Tuesday night when it chased Detroit Red Wings goalie Chris Osgood early in the first period. But the Canucks couldn't hang on to a 2-0 lead an ultimately dropped a 5-4 decision at GM place.

"Anytime you go up 2-0 at home, we re good enough defensively we should be able to lock that down," veteran defenseman Mathieu Schneider said. "Once you give them opportunities, they re going to finish."

Kings: They failed to hang on to their lead in the Pacific Division on Wednesday night, but Los Angeles did manage to pick up a point by forcing overtime. With 17 points, the Kings are now tied for first place with the San Jose Sharks, who edged L.A. in the shootout in a 2-1 decision at HP Pavilion.

''We played a really good first period,'' Kings goalie Jonathan Quick said. ''They might not have had their feet underneath them so we got the better of them in the first period. But (Evgeni) Nabokov kept them in it and they really stepped it up there in the second and third.''

Who's Hot: Canucks defenseman Kevin Bieksa had three assists on Tuesday night and has 7 points in 12 games, while four others are already in double digits: Henrik Sedin (6-9-15), Mikael Samuelsson (5-6-11), Ryan Kesler (4-7-11) and Christian Ehrhoff (3-7-10). Anze Kopitar has been the best player in all of Southern California, as he has eight points in his last four games for the Kings and 21 overall, tops in the League.

Injury Report: Sami Salo (knee), Rick Rypien (groin) and Kyle Wellwood (toe) are expected to be game-time decisions for the Canucks, while Daniel Sedin (foot), Pavol Demitra (shoulder) and Jannik Hansen (fingers) are out. For the Kings, forward Justin Williams has missed four consecutive games with a lower-body injury, while defenseman Alec Martinez (ankle) and right wing Rich Clune (groin) are out.

Stat Pack: Henrik Sedin snapped a three-game pointless skid on Sunday with his first goal since twin brother Daniel broke his foot on Oct. 7. He followed that up with a three-point performance in Detroit on Tuesday to give him a team-leading 15 points. … Kings forward Alexander Frolov scored again on Wednesday night, giving him seven points in his last four games. Jonathan Quick made 29 saves against the Sharks and is among the League leaders in wins with eight.

Puck Drop: Given the length of Wednesday's game in San Jose, it will be interesting to see what kind of start the Kings get off to in this one. Certainly, Alain Vigneault will inform his Canucks to attack early and often while Los Angeles attempts to find its legs.

-- Brian Compton, NHL.com


PROBABLE LINES
Los Angeles:
Smyth - Kopitar - Simmonds
Frolov - Handzus - Brown
Parse - Stoll - Purcell
Ivanans - Richardson - Harrold

Drewiske - Doughty
Johnson - Scuderi
O'Donnell - Greene

Probable Starter: Jonathan Quick

Vancouver:
Burrows - H. Sedin - Bernier
Grabner - Kesler - Raymond
Samuelsson - Bolduc - Shirokov
Rome - Rypien - Glass

Mitchell - Salo
Bieksa - Schneider
Ehrhoff - Edler

Probable Starter: Andrew Raycroft


***Credit: LA Times, Kings fan site, Kings.NHL.com, Canucks.NHL.com, Yahoo.com

[Chaddog13]

I dont foresee any fights in this game. Terry Murray holding the leash too tight. Looking forward to getting back on a win streak...

[orcuttal]

Hope theres no line brawl between 4th lines....I think Greene will find himself in a scrap tonight....should be a fun game.....

[NickDoh]

hoping for the W more than anything.

but the canucks have enough people willing to go. should be a fight or two or three...

[Chaddog13]

Originally Posted by NickDoh

hoping for the W more than anything.

but the canucks have enough people willing to go. should be a fight or two or three...

Nick, the Sharks had a few gals that would've scrapped last night. Did you see Ivanans backing off? I did. I think Coach Murray says no to fighting.. Hope I'm wrong..

You're right thoght, the "W" is the most important part...

[LAKINGSNUT]

is the LA Kings pic gone or is it just my puter thats f'ing up? can anyone see it?

edit: nm, changed the image.

[NickDoh]

nut, its there

Originally Posted by Chaddog13

Nick, the Sharks had a few gals that would've scrapped last night. Did you see Ivanans backing off? I did. I think Coach Murray says no to fighting.. Hope I'm wrong..

You're right thoght, the "W" is the most important part...

im just trying not to jinx it like yesterday and say there might not be fights! lol

division rival for the division lead last night, murray maybe threw the leash on hoping the sharks emotions would get them or something. nothing as important on the line tonight. struggling frustrated nucks team, leashes off kings teams. FIGHTS! beliiiiiiiieve

[GIANTSFAN]

Hordichuk & O'Brien are healthy scratches. I think Vigneault is sending a message about them not fighting or even being physical.

The fourth line is
Rome, Rypien, Glass.

[Chaddog13]

Originally Posted by nickdoh

nut, its there



im just trying not to jinx it like yesterday and say there might not be fights! Lol

division rival for the division lead last night, murray maybe threw the leash on hoping the sharks emotions would get them or something. Nothing as important on the line tonight. Struggling frustrated nucks team, leashes off kings teams. Fights! Beliiiiiiiieve

i believe!!!!

Ha ha

[lakingsfan19]

Originally Posted by LAKINGSNUT

Injury Report: Sami Salo (knee), Rick Rypien (groin) and Kyle Wellwood (toe) are expected to be game-time decisions for the Canucks, while Daniel Sedin (foot), Pavol Demitra (shoulder) and Jannik Hansen (fingers) are out. For the Kings, forward Justin Williams has missed four consecutive games with a lower-body injury, while defenseman Alec Martinez (ankle) and right wing Rich Clune (groin) are out.




***Credit: LA Times, Kings fan site, Kings.NHL.com, Canucks.NHL.com, Yahoo.com

I thought Clune was activated and sent down for rehab? Is he hurt again? Does this still give him a chance to play this year?

I thought for sure he lost his spot, still keeping my fingers cross he in the lineup soon!

[lakingsfan19]

Oh Yeah Go KINGS!!!

[LAKINGSNUT]

Originally Posted by lakingsfan19

I thought Clune was activated and sent down for rehab? Is he hurt again? Does this still give him a chance to play this year?

I thought for sure he lost his spot, still keeping my fingers cross he in the lineup soon!

yea, that report is a bit of a head scratcher. Clune is deff in Manchester, and they also list Sami Salo with a knee injury, but the Canucks website has him in the line-up! not sure who to believe!

[NickDoh]

another tough one to take.

but 8-4-2 leads the pacific for now. cant complain.

4 days off, we'll see who leap frogs us before the next game. but its always nice to go to nhl.com and click standings and see the kings atop the pacific!

[lakingsfan19]

That was a tough one. We should have got 2 points from that. We suck at shoot outs. And no Kopitar in the shoot outs? No Ivanans in the 3rd? Terry Murray is starting to piss me off with this no fight b/s!

[NickDoh]

Originally Posted by lakingsfan19

No Ivanans in the 3rd?

thats nothing new...