Oilers v. Kings - Psalm 102:18-20

Let this be written for a future generation:
"A team not yet fully formed was blessed by Yahweh.
Yahweh looked down from the heavens
to see his hockey club being trampled.
He heard the groans of its fans
and he breathed life into a team that was condemned to death."

Los Angeles Kings (21-11-3) @ Edmonton Oilers (15-13-4)

Rexall Place, 7:30 P.M. MDT
Television: Sportsnet West

Visiting Team Scouting Report: I think for this game it's time to see how things have changed... since we just played Los Angeles not long ago, I think I'll update the scouting report and numbers from that day. What's going to be different?

The Los Angeles kings are a pretty good team this year. If it wasn't for suspect goaltending (Jonathan Quick's save percentage is currently .894 overall putting him ahead of only three goalies who have started at least ten games this year, bonus points for those who know the other three without looking it up) the Kings would likely have an Jonathan Quick has played well since these two teams last met, improving his save percentage from .894 to .903 in just a few games and thus the Kings have an even better record so far this year than the last time these two teams met. Someone really ought to let Dean Lombardi know that his team is too good to tank now and that he should get a decent goalie.

Expected Lineups:

Edmonton Oilers (15-13-4):

Penner - Gagner - Brule
Jacques - Horcoff - O'Sullivan
Moreau - Potulny - Cogliano
Nilsson - Stortini - Stone

Gilbert - Souray
Smid - Visnovsky
Grebeshkov - Staios

Deslauriers

Los Angeles Kings (21-11-3)

Williams - Kopitar - Frolov
Brown - Stoll - Purcell
Richardson - Handzus - Parse
Ivanans - Moller - Harrold

Scuderi - Doughty
Jones - Johnson
O'Donnell - Greene

Quick

Behind the Numbers:

• Anze Kopitar leads the is tied for fourth in the NHL in points with 33 38. The next King on the list is former Oiler Ryan Smyth Jarrett Stoll with 23 25 (in 22 games).
• Ryan Smyth should have only played for 1 team over his career but is instead now playing for his 4th team in 4 seasons. It's also his 4th team in 15 seasons.
  
• Robert Nilsson is a team worst best +6 in the five games since he came back into the lineup -12 in only 12 games so far this season. His only second goal of the year was into an empty net probably one of the prettiest goals the Oilers will score all year.
• Ryan O'Marra is having by far his best season in the AHL this year with 5 goals and 3 assists in 20 24 games.
  
• Alex Plante has played 18 27 games so far in the AHL and has totaled 3 4 points and 22 54 penalty minutes as well as a -4 -6 rating. His 0% shooting percentage likely isn't sustainable over the long haul (though we've been were saying that about Ladislav Smid for over 2 years now until he potted the tying goal in Florida).