(SportsNetwork.com) – Well-rested from their last encounter with the Los
Angeles Kings, the Anaheim Ducks try to defeat their Pacific Division rivals
for the second time as the clubs clash on Saturday afternoon at Staples
Center.
The Ducks have been out of action since a 6-5 shootout win over the Kings on
Wednesday, the first meeting between the teams since Los Angeles’ seven-game
second-round victory in last season’s playoffs.
Los Angeles netted a pair of first-period goals on Wednesday and led 5-3
following Justin Williams’ goal with 8:59 left in regulation, but Ryan Kesler
scored his second goal of the frame with 5:40 on the clock and Ryan Getzlaf
forced overtime on his tally with 1:39 to go.
Jakob Silfverberg and Kesler then scored in the shootout, while Jason
LaBarbera stopped Jeff Carter and Anze Kopitar after yielding a first-round
score to Marian Gaborik.
LaBarbera took over for an ineffective Frederik Andersen midway through
the second period and made 14 saves. Andersen yielded three goals on 10 shots.
“That was the loudest regular season game I’ve ever heard,” said LaBarbera.
“It felt like the playoffs out there.”
Anaheim went to a shootout for a third game in a row and snapped a three-game
slide while extending its point streak to six straight (3-0-3).
Jonathan Quick made 44 saves in the loss, but the Kings fell for the sixth
time in their last eight games.
“If it wasn’t for Jonathan, it wasn’t even close,” said Kings head coach
Darryl Sutter. “They’re a much better team than we are. They proved it last
year.”
Anaheim played without forward Corey Perry for a fourth game in a row and was
without defenseman Francois Beauchemin for a second straight contest. Both
skaters contracted the mumps, though Perry returned to practice on Thursday.
However, Anaheim’s leading goal-scorer will need to regain some strength and
conditioning, leaving him unlikely to play today or Sunday versus Florida.
The Kings, who got a goal and an assist from both Kopitar and Doughty versus
the Ducks, followed up the loss to Anaheim with a 2-0 setback to the Dallas
Stars on Thursday. Kari Lehtonen made 27 saves to keep Los Angeles off the
board.
Martin Jones allowed both goals on 27 shots for the Kings, who have lost seven
of their last nine games.
“We had a couple good chances there, but for the most part (Lehtonen) was
seeing all of the shots,” said Kings center Tyler Toffoli.
Los Angeles’ defeat came in the opener of a four-game homestand and snapped an
eight-game point streak at Staples Center (7-0-1).
The Kings also lost another defenseman in Alec Martinez, who exited with an
undisclosed injury after blocking a shot. The cap-strapped Kings are already
playing without blueliners Slava Voynov (suspension) and Robyn Regehr (lower
body).
Anaheim’s win earlier this week was its fifth straight and seventh in its past
10 versus the Kings in the regular season. That includes three consecutive
victories in Los Angeles.
