Game Time: 7:30 PM PST | 10:30 PM EST
Location: Staples Center | Los Angeles, CA
TV Broadcast: Home Team: FSN-PT
Away Team: FSN-A (HD)
National TV: NHLN-CA
Radio Broadcast: 1150 AM; XM 204 Online broadcast: NHL Radio Internet Stream: Must use Sopcast 
Coyotes @ Kings Game Notes
Not only do the Phoenix Coyotes need a string of wins in their final five games to have a chance of reaching the postseason, they'll have to get most of it done on the road.
The Coyotes aim for a second straight victory when they conclude their season series with the Los Angeles Kings on Thursday night at Staples Center.
Phoenix (37-34-6) defeated San Jose 5-4 in overtime at home Tuesday to snap a five-game losing streak, and moved within six points of the final playoff spot in the Western Conference.
The Coyotes, who are looking to reach the postseason for the first time since 2001-02, will have to keep winning while playing four of their final five games away from home. Three of those contests are against playoff-bound San Jose, Dallas and Anaheim.
Making the road tougher, two other teams - Nashville and Edmonton - are currently between 11th-place Phoenix and eighth-place Vancouver in the conference standings.
After winning 13 only road games last season, Phoenix is 20-15-2 on the road in 2007-08, but has lost two in a row away from Jobing.com Arena.
The Coyotes, though, will try for a fourth consecutive road win over Los Angeles (30-40-7), which is last in the West and eliminated from playoff contention. The Coyotes also own a 6-0-1 edge in the season series with Los Angeles, having outscored the Kings 26-13 in the seven meetings.
Shane Doan and Derek Morris each had a goal and assist Tuesday, and Martin Hanzal scored in overtime for the Coyotes, who won despite blowing a 3-0 lead.
Doan has five goals and seven assists versus Los Angeles this season, including a goal and two assists in Phoenix's 6-5 shootout loss at home last Thursday in the teams' most recent meeting.
Goaltender Ilya Bryzgalov made 30 saves Tuesday for his first win in his last four decisions. Bryzgalov is 5-1-0 with a 1.67 goals-against average against the Kings this season.
The Coyotes hope to have defenseman Ed Jovanovski on the ice Thursday after he left in the first period against San Jose because of a lacerated calf.
Los Angeles returns home looking to bounce back from a 2-1 shootout loss at Anaheim on Wednesday night. The Kings finished 2-0-1 on a brief road swing that began with the win in Phoenix.
Patrick O'Sullivan recorded his 20th goal Wednesday for his fourth point in three games, while rookie Erik Ersberg made 39 saves for the Kings, who will try to snap a three-game home losing streak Thursday.
Ersberg, who made 35 saves in Los Angeles' victory over Phoenix last week, is 4-3-3 with a 2.18 GAA since being called up from the minors in late February.
O'Sullivan had two assists against Phoenix last Thursday.
The Kings have a home record of 15-19-3 and their last 10 games is a record of 4-4-2.
The Coyotes have a road record of 20-15-2, and their last 10 games is a record of 3-6-1.
The Kings finish their short 2-game home stand on Saturday afternoon against the Dallas Stars at Staples Center.
Ersberg said it seemed to turn into a goalie matchup and, “It was a good game for both teams. It’s tough to lose one of these.”
Los Angeles Kings
Kyle Calder (Broken finger on 3/20/08) day-to-day
Dan Cloutier (Right groin strain on 3/27/08) day-to-day
Jack Johnson (Fractured right foot on 3/18/08) day-to-day
Jason LaBarbera (Sports hernia surgery on 2/21/08) day-to-day
Ladislav Nagy (Sore neck on 1/19/08) IR
Scott Thornton (Upper body injury on 3/4/08) day-to-day
Phoenix Coyotes
No injuries to report
03/20/08 - Kings @ Coyotes 6-5 (Kings win in Shootout)
02/18/08 - Coyotes @ Kings 4-0 (Coyotes win)
02/16/08 - Kings @ Coyotes 4-3 (Coyotes win)
12/08/07 - Coyotes @ Kings 4-2 (Coyotes win)
12/05/07 - Kings @ Coyotes 4-1 (Coyotes win)
11/21/07 - Kings @ Coyotes 4-1 (Coyotes win)
11/17/07 - Coyotes @ Kings 1-0 (Coyotes win)
Kings All-Time Record against Phoenix (63-81-29) All-time Series ResultsLeading Scorers:
Forwards: 
Kopitar, LA - 71 points (29 G, 42 A, -18) |
Doan, PHO - 76 points (27 G, 49 A, +9) Defensemen: 
Visnovsky, LA - 40 points (8 G, 32 A, -17) |
Jovanovski, PHO - 50 points (12 G, 38 A, -10) GAA:
LA – 3.18 (28th in NHL)
PHO – 2.73 (16th in NHL)
Avg. Goals:
LA – 2.74 (15th in NHL)
PHO – 2.60 (21st in NHL)
Power Play %:
LA – 18.0 (12th in NHL)
PHO – 18.7 (9th in NHL)
Penalty Kill %:
LA – 78.5 (28th in NHL)
PHO – 81.1 (23rd in NHL)
(As of 3/27/08)
Pacific Division Standings:
1. San Jose Sharks (45-21-10) 100 pts
2. Anaheim Ducks (44-26-8) 96 pts
3. Dallas Stars (42-29-5) 89 pts
4. Phoenix Coyotes (37-34-6) 80 pts
5. Los Angeles Kings (30-40-7) 67 pts
Western Conference Standings:
1 Red Wings 108
2 Sharks 100
3 Wild 91
4 Ducks 96
5 Flames 90
6 Stars 89
7 Avalanche 88
8 Canucks 86
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9 Predators 84
10 Oilers 83
11 Coyotes 80
12 Blackhawks 80
13 Blue Jackets 79
14 Blues 72
15 Kings 67
Bottom of the Cellar Standings:
26 Islanders 75 points, 5 games remaining
27 Blues 72 points, 6 games remaining
28 Thrashers 70 points, 5 games remaining
29 Lightning 68 points, 6 games remaining
30 Kings 67 points, 5 games remaining
Key/Division Games Tonight:
Maple Leafs @ Bruins 4:00 PM PST | 7:00 PM EST
Devils @ Rangers 4:00 PM PST | 7:00 PM EST
Sabres @ Senators 4:30 PM PST | 7:30 PM EST
Islanders @ Penguins 4:30 PM PST | 7:30 PM EST
Capitals @ Lightning 4:30 PM PST | 7:30 PM EST
Thrashers @ Panthers 4:30 PM PST | 7:30 PM EST
Stars @ Sharks 7:00 PM PST | 10:00 PM EST