Game Thread: Los Angeles Kings at New York Islanders 11/14/13 | 7:00pm

[Cobiemonster]

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Game Time: 7:00pm EST/4:00pm PST - FS-West​

KINGS (11-6-1) at ISLANDERS (7-9-3)

TV: FS-W; MSG PLUS

Last 10: Los Angeles 6-3-1; New York 4-6-0

Season series: This is the first of two meetings between the Los Angeles Kings and New York Islanders in less than a month; the Islanders visit Staples Center on Dec. 7. They haven't faced off since Feb. 11, 2012, when the Islanders won 2-1 in overtime at Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum.

Big story: Los Angeles and New York have unsettled situations in goal. The Kings are without starter Jonathan Quick, who flew back to L.A. on Wednesday after leaving during overtime of a 3-2 shootout loss to the Buffalo Sabres on Tuesday with what coach Darryl Sutter said is either hamstring or groin-related. The Islanders have started 23-year-old Kevin Poulin in back-to-back games in place of struggling No. 1 goalie Evgeni Nabokov, and coach Jack Capuano hasn't named a starter for Thursday.

Team Scope:

Kings: Los Angeles did everything right against the Sabres except win. The Kings outshot the Sabres 45-17 through overtime, but the injury to Quick with 1:20 remaining in OT forced backup Ben Scrivens to come into the game cold, and he was beaten twice in the shootout.

"We had a good chance to win," Sutter told the media Wednesday. "We score a second goal [after taking an early 1-0 lead], we do win."

The Kings called up goaltender Martin Jones from Manchester of the American Hockey League after sending Quick home. They also placed defenseman Matt Greene and forward Kyle Clifford on injured reserve and recalled forward Tanner Pearson from Manchester.

"He’s obviously not going to play on this trip," Sutter said of Quick, "so he might as well be home, and make sure we know what it is, and then go from there."

Islanders: After going 0-4-0 on a road trip last week, the Islanders looked rejuvenated on Tuesday in their return to the Coliseum. New York dominated the first 40 minutes and beat the Nashville Predators 3-1. Poulin made 32 saves in his second consecutive start, the first time this season he's started back-to-back games.

“Right now I’m playing with confidence,” Poulin said. “I’ve been playing a lot lately the past week and I feel more comfortable out there. I am seeing the puck pretty well."

A bigger concern for the Islanders is the status of captain John Tavares, who didn't skate Wednesday after banging his hip into the boards during the third period Tuesday night. Capuano had no update on Tavares after practice. Tavares was able to finish the game Tuesday.

Who's hot: Mike Richards has three goals and six assists during a five-game points streak for Los Angeles. … Tavares has back-to-back two-point games and Frans Nielsen has four points in New York's past three games. He's in the top 10 in the NHL scoring race with 21 points in 19 games, eight fewer than he had all last season.

Injury report: In addition to Quick, Clifford (head) and Greene (undisclosed), the Kings are without center Jarret Stoll (upper body) and forward Jeff Carter (broken foot). … The Islanders hope Tavares will be able to go; they have been without first-line left wing Thomas Vanek (upper body) since the first shift of their game last Saturday night against the Columbus Blue Jackets. He's skating and might be able to play Thursday. Also missing are defensemen Lubomir Visnovsky (concussion) and Brian Strait (upper body), both of whom are on injured reserve.

Los Angeles Kings at New York Islanders - 11/14/2013

 

[Kings4OT]

Its almost the LA Monarchs

 

[Cobiemonster]

The entire Kings team, not just Ben Scrivens, needs to step up and play to their A-Game - they need to score some goals against Kevin Poulin tonight

 

[DaBoltsNIsles]

Tavares will play tonight. Vanek will get the night off. He'll probably be in he lineup on Saturday. Kevin Poulin has played very well between the pipes of late. It looks like he's taken the #1 spot away from Nabby (THANK GOD!!). The Isles have played like shit since they traded Moulson for Vanek. They better win this one with Quick out of the lineup. I consider this a must win for the Isles will all the injuries the Kings have.

 

[davnlaguna]

Dont kick us when we are down.

 

[DaBoltsNIsles]

Dont kick us when we are down.

My team needs all the help it can get. They better win tonight because they probably won't beat Detroit on Saturday.

 

[LALakersboy24.7]

Kings need to wake the fuck up. If the playoffs started today we would be out

 

[Cobiemonster]

Los Angeles Projected Lines

Dustin Brown – Anze Kopitar – Justin Williams
Dwight King – Mike Richards – Tyler Toffoli
Tanner Pearson – Linden Vey – Matt Frattin
Jordan Nolan – Colin Fraser – Trevor Lewis

Jake Muzzin – Drew Doughty
Robyn Regehr – Slava Voynov
Willie Mitchell – Alec Martinez

Ben Scrivens
Martin Jones

New York Projected Lines

Brock Nelson – John Tavares – Kyle Okposo
Pierre-Marc Bouchard – Frans Nielsen – Josh Bailey
Michael Grabner – Peter Regin – Colin McDonald
Matt Martin – Casey Cizikas – Cal Clutterbuck

Andrew MacDonald – Travis Hamonic
Thomas Hickey – Matt Donovan
Aaron Ness – Matt Carkner

Kevin Poulin
Evgeni Nabokov

 

[oxnardkingsfan]

Kings need to wake the fuck up. If the playoffs started today we would be out

Good thing the playoffs don't start until April which happens to be 5 months and 64 games from now. Lets not get too worried just yet.

Ox

 

[Cobiemonster]

Scoreless after one period, let's get the rest of this penalty killed and start getting the offense going! Go Kings!

 

[LALakersboy24.7]

Scoreless after one period, let's get the rest of this penalty killed and start getting the offense going! Go Kings!

I HOPE SO!

 

[oxnardkingsfan]

I thought the Kings had a good start to the game and even had a power play fairly early on but then took a penalty to kill off that opportunity and give the Islanders a little life. They have to get that forecheck going again and create some sustained pressure on this young goaltender.

Ox

 

[Cobiemonster]

Cizikas scores, Isles lead 1-0 - come on Kings let's regroup

 

[Kings4OT]

woops

 

[LALakersboy24.7]

Ah! :ss:

 

[LALakersboy24.7]

 

[Cobiemonster]

Kings big guns need to step their game up - they've sucked the last two games - Dustin Brown's been invisible and has done absolutely nothing this season besides a few big games - they need more than 7 points in 18 games from him

Defense has to be much better and they have to tighten things up in the defensive zone

Ben Scrivens is a backup for a reason, so to expect him to be great is not something I'm going to worry about - but damn well the rest of the team needs to step their game up a lot

 

[Kings4OT]

Horrible play in the LA end and its not because of injuries. They need to regroup or get a boot to the ass or something

 

[LALakersboy24.7]

Defense is just pathetic right now & has been for some time

 

[oxnardkingsfan]

It's looking to me like the Kings have forgotten what type of team they are. A big team that hits and plays a strong forecheck game. Has anybody in a blue jersey gotten hit in this game yet?

Ox