The LA Kings held an optional skate today before they face off against the Vancouver Canucks tonight at home.
LA Kings Morning Skate
Some good news this morning as we saw defenseman Sean Durzi on the ice this morning skating on his own in a red non-contact jersey before the morning skate started for the team!
Sean Durzi on the ice in a red jersey. #GoKingsGo pic.twitter.com/CXgAurx2VR
— Kyle Garcia (@Kopitar4HOF) March 18, 2023
The first goaltender off this morning was Joonas Korpisalo making him tonight’s projected starter. The Kings once again had three skaters on the ice late this morning showing them as the likely scratches. The scratched forwards stay the same in Zack MacEwen, and Jaret Anderson-Dolan. However, we can expect a change on the blue line with Jordan Spence in the lineup for Sean Walker. The projected lines look like this:
Byfield-Kopitar-Kempe
Moore-Danault-Arvidsson
Iafallo-Lizotte-Vilardi
Grundstrom-Kupari-Kaliyev
Anderson-Doughty
Gavrikov-Roy
Edler-Spence
Korpisalo
Copley
First goaltender off for your LA Kings is Joonas Korpisalo making him tonight’s projected starter, the goaltender rotation keeps on rolling. #GoKingsGo
— Jason Wernegreen (@Jasonwgreen73) March 18, 2023
Look Ahead for Tonight
The LA Kings have faced off against the Vancouver Canucks just one time this season, the teams will see each other three times in the span of 13 games to finish off the season with the first of the three comings tonight. The lone game between the two teams came back on November 18th in a 4-1 victory for the Canucks. The Kings however have had a complete change in not just tonight’s starter but their goalie tandem entirely. Jonathan Quick started the previous matchup for LA and allowed four goals on 25 shots. Tonight, however, the Kings are starting goaltender Joonas Korpisalo who is yet to give up more than two goals in a game while wearing a Kings sweater. Brock Boeser led the way for Vancouver back in November with two goals, including the game-winning goal. The Kings only had one goal in the game but three total players came out with a point Blake Lizotte scored the lone LA goal, while the defensive pair of Alex Edler and Sean Walker both had assists on the play. Tonight, however, is on home ice for the Kings. LA has been stellar at home putting up a 22-9-3 record at home this season.
The Canucks took the ice at TSPC this morning as well after the Kings came off. Vancouver’s first goaltender off the ice was Thatcher Demko. Demko is 3-0-0 against LA in his career putting up an impressive 0.97 GAA and a .972 save percentage. The Canucks had three forwards in red no-contact jerseys in Elias Pettersson, Anthony Beauvillier, and Andrei Kuzmenko. While they were in red, it’s not a guarantee they will be out tonight.
Division Race
The Kings have managed to keep pace in the Pacific division as of late and have held tight to second place. They have the chance to take the sole division lead tonight with a win. The Vegas Golden Knights are ahead of the Kings by a single point with 90 points while LA has 89. Vegas is idle today meaning if LA can pick up a crucial two points tonight, they will take the lead of the Pacific. The Kings have not been able to take the division lead, but they have been able to drop their magic number significantly, as it is down to just 17 points.
The Kings are looking to extend the win streak to three games tonight on home ice, be ready!
(Main Photo Credit: NHL.com)