The LA Kings held an optional morning skate before their game against the Columbus Blue Jackets tonight.
Who was there:
The Kings’ morning skate was optional today, so there were no formal line rushes. Once again, there was no sign of forward Kevin Fiala or defenseman Sean Durzi. As expected from Todd McLellan‘s statement yesterday, the goaltender rotation will continue as Pheonix Copley was the first goalie off the ice this morning making him the projected starter for the Kings. The Kings had three skaters on the ice late in, Jordan Spence, Zack MacEwen, and Jaret Anderson-Dolan making them tonight’s expected scratches.
Pheonix Copley is the first goaltender off the ice this morning making him tonight’s projected starter. #GoKingsGo
— Jason Wernegreen (@Jasonwgreen73) March 16, 2023
Colors/Projected Lines
The Kings had three colors out on the ice this morning.
Gray: Anze Kopitar, Quinton Byfield, Trevor Moore
White: Gabriel Vilardi, Alex Iafallo, Arthur Kaliyev, Carl Grundstrom, Rasmus Kupari, Jaret Anderson-Dolan, Zack MacEwen
Black: Alex Edler, Sean Walker, Jordan Spence
With Spence, MacEwen, and Anderson-Dolan scratched, the projected lines could look like this:
Byfield-Kopitar-Kempe
Moore-Danault-Arvidsson
Iafallo-Lizotte-Vilardi
Grundstrom-Kupari-Kaliyev
Anderson-Doughty
Gavrikov-Roy
Edler-Walker
Copley
Korpisalo
LA Kings Goaltender Rotation
Todd McLellan stated yesterday during media availability that he likes what he has seen from both Kings goaltenders and is not going to switch up the rotation.
Kings coach Todd McLellan said he will not interrupt the goalie rotation when Kings face Columbus (former team of Korpisalo and Gavrikov) tomorrow. It’s Copley’s turn. “We discussed it and we don’t think we need to change what we’re doing.”
— Helene Elliott (@helenenothelen) March 15, 2023
The Kings goalies have not allowed more than two goals in a game since the acquisition of defenseman Vladislav Gavrikov and goaltender Joonas Korpisalo. Some fans expected the rotation to switch in tonight’s game against Columbus seeing as it is Gavrikov and Korpisalo’s former team, but the Kings have been great rotating their netminders and do not look like they will be changing it up anytime soon.
(Main Photo Credit: NHL.com)