(Sports Network) - The Los Angeles Kings aim to bounce right back into the win
column on Monday evening when they take on the Nashville Predators for the
third and final time this regular season.
Looking to rebound from a slow start, the defending champion Kings had won
five straight and seven of eight before suffering a 5-2 road loss to the
Vancouver Canucks on Saturday.
Justin Williams and Jordan Nolan each scored once for the Kings, while
Jonathan Quick allowed four goals on 23 shots in the setback.
Like the Kings tried not to get too relaxed during a winning streak, Kings
coach Darryl Suter doesn't want this loss to come with too much weight.
"You win you move on, you lose you move on," Suter said.
While Jeff Carter had a five-game goal-scoring streak end, Anze Kopitar picked
up an assist to give him nine points over a five-game point streak.
Los Angeles activated defenseman Alec Martinez from injured reserve on
Saturday, but he did not play after sitting out the previous seven games due
to an upper body injury. The Kings blue line remains without Matt Greene (back
surgery) and Willie Mitchell (knee surgery).
The Kings hope to extend a four-game home winning streak in the first of five
straight in Los Angeles and play host to a Predators club that has struggled
to a loss in six of its past eight. That includes Saturday's 2-1 setback at
the San Jose Sharks.
The Sharks picked up a power-play goal in each of the first two periods and
outshot the Predators 16-6 in the opening frame. Gabriel Bourque pulled
Nashville within one on a short-handed goal with 5:30 to play, but the rally
fell short.
"The two penalties we took were unnecessary and we didn't kill them," Preds
head coach Barry Trotz said.
Pekka Rinne made 37 stops in the setback, Nashville's first in regulation
since Dec. 26, 2010 when Rinne makes 35-or-more saves.
The Predators have won both meetings with the Kings so far this season,
snapping a two-game slide in Los Angeles by winning an eight-round shootout on
Jan. 31 before blanking the Kings 3-0 at home on Feb. 7. Colin Wilson scored
twice and Rinne made 32 saves.
The Sports Network