After winning the Stanley Cup last spring, most expected the Los Angeles Kings to be prime contenders to repeat. Unfortunately, the team's play indicates that it may instead fail to make the playoff all together. The Kings will look to get on track when they take on the St. Louis Blues.
Los Angeles has lost four of its last five including a heartbreaking 3-2 defeat against the Detroit Red Wings on Sunday. The Kings dominated the game but still found themselves trailer 2-0 just before the end of the first. Anze Kopitar scored a goal with less than a minute to play in the opening frame to draw the Kings within one. The equalizer would not come until Alec Martinez scored with just 53 seconds remaining in the game. However, the fortunes did not favor the Kings as Detroit's Jonathon Ericsson scored with only five seconds remaining to steal a win for Detroit. Los Angeles managed 47 shots in the effort but was hampered by a stellar performance from Detroit goalie Jimmy Howard.
Despite the loss, Kopitar found the performance encouraging. "That was our best game of the year," Kopitar said. "Playing like that, you're going to win more times than not." The Kings are currently in last place in the Pacific division with just eight points.
The Kings will face another struggling team in the St. Louis Blues. After winning six of seven in January, the Blues have lost four straight and have looked dreadful defensively. The team was lauded last year for having the best goaltending duo and allowing the least goals in the league. However, the Blues have allowed at least five goals in their last four; 21 goals have been scored on them in four games. In their latest outing, the Blues blew a 3-1 first period lead and had to battle back twice to tie the game and send it to the shootout where they eventually lost. After a stellar 2011-12 season in which he posted a 1.56 goals against average and 94.0 save percentage in 38 games, goalie Brian Elliot has posted a 3.51 goals against average in just four games. Fortunately, number one goalie Jaroslav Halak has been taken off the injury reserve and is ready to play.
The Blues are stilling looking for their first win of February and are in fourth place in the Central division.
This is the first of three meetings between the clubs. Los Angeles won three of the four meetings last season; they all swept the Blues in the second round of the playoffs.
Predictions: Los Angeles wins this game 4-1.
Start Time: 8 PM EST
TV: FS-W, FS-MW
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