Nashville looks to stay hot today as they take a visit to the Staples Center and face off against the Kings today.
Unfortunately for the Predators, they are going up against the hottest team in the league right now in Los Angeles. The Kings have won six straight, and are hoping to make it seven against Nashville.
The Los Angeles Kings
The Kings are scorching hot right now. They started the season off on a three-game losing streak, but quickly turned that around and rattled off six straight wins. The thing with this team is that most of their offense is coming from just four guys.
Today’s Opponent
Today’s Opponent
The Kings acquired the services of Milan Lucic in the offseason. It’s proving to pay off so far, as Lucic is third on the team with 6 points (2G, 4A) and has a +/- of 4. He provides some added veteran depth on the wing, even if it’s not something they weren’t already lacking. Topping the Kings in points is Jeff Carter. He is averaging a point per game right now, and is playing at a high level for the Kings.
Carter, Lucic, Drew Doughty, and Tyler Toffoli are the four comprising majority of their offense; they’ve accounted for 12 of the Kings 20 goals scored this season. What’s scary to think though is that Anze Kopitar, Dustin Brown, and Marian Gaborik have yet to get going. If those guys start to find their rhythm, the Kings could be the team to beat in the West.
Scoring aside, you can’t forget about Jonathan Quick in net. He is putting together another solid year so far. Quick is only allowing 2 goals a game and boasting a .928 SV%. If the Kings can get a stable lead, teams are going to have some trouble mounting a comeback against them.
The Nashville Predators
The Predators are the class of the Western Conference right now. They have been finding all sorts of different ways to win games this year. For fans, that is a great sign. This season, so far, gives me the feeling that Nashville is never out of any game no matter what the score may be.
Of course, the success starts from the back end. Pekka Rinne is having himself another great year. Yes, he has had a couple of games where he gave up quite a few goals, but he still boasts a 1.74 GAA on the season. On top of that, he has made some timely saves to secure a Nashville win. The defense in front of Rinne has also been playing excellent lately. The defensemen have also been putting up numbers on the offensive side of things. Out of the top 10 point scorers for Nashville, 5 of them are defensemen.
The offensive help from the defense has been great. Once the Predators find a way to get consistent scoring from their third and fourth line, they will be set. I am hoping that the goals from Calle Jarnkrok and Eric Nystrom on Wednesday night weren’t just flukes. It will only be a matter of time before James Neal cools off and Nashville will need to find scoring from elsewhere.
Reasons To Watch
- For one, it’s Halloween, so expect to see some crazy costumes in the stands.
- It’s a midday game, so it’s the perfect way to pass time for those party goers getting ready for the evening time
- Two of the hottest teams in the NHL are going head to head. That should be enough of a reason. /
Drink Of Choice For Game Time
It’s not early enough to enjoy a mimosa, and it’s not late enough to enjoy some scotch. I feel like the safe bet for this game is beer. I am going to be enjoying a nice cold Lagunitas Little Sumpin’.
Sights and Sounds
We are back on FS-TN locally for TV, and 102.5 for radio. We have an early puck drop at 3:00 pm CST, so don’t be late!