Our first look at Quinton Byfield versus Alexis Lafreniere, the LA Kings (21-16-5) face the New York Rangers (27-11-4) for the second time this season.

Tale of the Tape

Power-play:

LAK: 16.4% (26th)

NYR: 24.8% (8th)

Penalty Kill:

LAK: 73.0% (29th)

NYR: 84.4% (5th)

Faceoffs:

LAK: 53.2% (6th)

NYR: 47.4% (27th)

Goals per game:

LAK: 2.79 (21st)

NYR: 3.02 (16th)

Goals against per game:

LAK: 2.71 (9th)

NYR: 2.55 (3rd)

Top scorers:

LAK: Anze Kopitar – 13 goals, 23 assists, 36 points

NYR: Artemi Panarin – 11 goals, 32 assists, 43 points

Betting Odds

Courtesy of The Action Network:

Kings Odds +140
Rangers Odds -160
Over/Under 5.5
Time 4 pm PT
TV BSW, MSG+, ESPN+

Projected Lineups

Here’s how the Kings lined up against the Devils on Sunday:

Forwards:

Iafallo – Kopitar – Kempe

Moore – Danault – Arvidsson

Grundstrom – Byfield– Brown

Lemieux – Lizotte – Kaliyev

Defense:

Anderson – Doughty

Maatta – Roy

Bjornfot – Durzi

Goaltender:

Petersen

Quick

Villalta

Given the back-to-back, Jonathan Quick makes sense to get the nod against the Rangers. The 36-year-old is 7-5-0 in 12 career starts against New York, owning a .912 SV% and 2.42 GAA.

Something else to keep an eye on is whether Alex Turcotte and/or Rasmus Kupari get a start. However, it’s awfully tough to take someone out of the lineup right now. Carl Grundstrom would appear to be the most logical choice, but he also just scored the game-winner on Sunday.

Here’s how the Rangers lined up in Saturday’s win against the Coyotes:

Forwards:

Kreider – Zib – Hunt

Panarin – Strome – Goodrow

Laf – Chytil* – Gauthier

McKegg – Rooney – Reaves

Defense:

Lindgren – Fox

Miller – Trouba

Nemeth – Schneider

Goaltender:

Shesterkin

Georgiev

* left Saturday’s game with an injury and is considered day-to-day.

Rangers head coach Gerard Gallant, who missed the first meeting in COVID protocol, made a lineup change after the first period on Saturday, elevating the Panarin to the top line:

The LA Kings and Rangers will get underway at Madison Square Garden, with puck drop set for 4 pm PT.

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