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About This Page: This is a discussion on LA Kings Talk within the LetsGoKings.com forums, at Los Angeles Kings Hockey Fan Forum. The Kings website have added a link that leads to the All-Time Series Results against the team we're playing. So if they are doing this regularly, I'll
The Kings website have added a link that leads to the All-Time Series Results against the team we're playing. So if they are doing this regularly, I'll post the link under the Recent Meetings section.
The Nashville Predators know they'll have to start stringing together some wins if they hope to stay in the playoff hunt.
The Predators will be trying to end a season-high three-game home losing streak on Thursday when they meet the league-worst Los Angeles Kings.
Nashville (35-28-8) lost 2-1 to San Jose on Tuesday for its third defeat in four contests. The game was the first at the Sommet Center following a 3-3-0 road trip for the Predators, who have not won at home since a 5-4 victory over Edmonton on Feb. 19.
Nashville, in ninth place in the Western Conference standings, is trying for its fourth straight postseason appearance.
After this game, the Predators play Saturday in Detroit before returning to Nashville for four straight games. The Predators are 20-11-4 on their own ice this season.
Jason Arnott scored the lone goal for Nashville on Tuesday, giving him six goals and 10 assists during a 13-game point streak at home. He has 18 goals and 27 assists in 48 career games against the Kings (27-38-6), and had three goals and an assist in his team's 4-3 home win over Los Angeles on Dec. 22.
Arnott also had a goal and an assist in the last meeting between these teams, a 7-0 win in Los Angeles on Jan. 8. Chris Mason made 28 saves for Nashville in that game, improving to 4-1-0 with one tie and a 1.44 goals-against average in seven career games against the Kings.
The Predators have won seven of 10 against the Kings and are 4-1-0 with a tie in their last six home games in the series.
The Kings have dropped seven of their last eight overall, including Monday's 2-1 overtime loss against Vancouver. Patrick O'Sullivan scored the lone goal for Los Angeles, which owns the worst record in the NHL.
The Kings gave up the game-tying goal with 2:41 left in regulation.
The Kings, who have scored no more than two goals in any of their last six games, fell to 3-27-3 this season when failing to get at least three.
The Kings have a road record of 12-20-3 and their last 10 games is a record of 2-5-3.
The Predators have a home record of 20-11-4, and their last 10 games is a record of 4-5-1.
The Kings finish their short road trip on Saturday night against the Minnesota Wild at Xcel Energy Center.
“We were so close to it. That’s what’s so disappointing,” Cloutier said. “That’s a very good team that’s fighting for their lives over there. We gave them a big scare, but it would have definitely been nice to steal those two points from them.”
Here are a couple of post-game quotes, thanks to Don Fulton.
Patrick O'Sullivan, on his highlight-reel goal in Monday night's game:
"My buddy Kopi here picked-off the pass and it went to Brownie and then the defenseman broke his stick, so our 3-on-2 basically turned into a 3-on-1. Brownie spotted me and slid the puck across. Luongo is such a big goalie I had to just try and put it somewhere he couldn't get it and luckily it went in."
On the development of his NHL game:
"I've come a long way since last year. I feel I've established myself as someone who's going to have an impact on the game and an important role on this team. A game like last night for me personally was a chance to play in a tense situation and learn from it. These last 11 games will be extremely valuable to us and we are going in to it like it is a playoff race for us."
As Jack Johnson noted recently, the game is still fun - even on a last-place team - and team captain Rob Blake feels the same.
"As long as I'm playing I'm having fun. There's a lot of stuff around the game that isn't much fun, but once I get in the game and start playing it is absolutely fun," Blake said. "You never want to be in last place that's for sure, so the spirit and energy you see here (at practice) and in the games from this team is from the respect we have for the rest of the league."
Blake indicated that he still favors a return to the Kings next season and perhaps beyond, and sees many reasons to be excited about the future.
"I feel like I want to play another year or maybe a couple," he said. "I'll approach that this summer and I'll train like I always do and then see the options that are there for me. My focus has always been Los Angeles since I returned, and even though I don't like the position that we are in, I still think there are steps that can be taken this summer to really improve this team and take it to another level."
Los Angeles Kings
Jason LaBarbera (Sports hernia surgery on 2/21/08) IR
Ladislav Nagy (Sore neck on 1/19/08) IR
Scott Thornton (Upper body injury on (3/4/08) day-to-day
Nashville Predators
Martin Gelinas (Knee Sprain on 2/22/08) IR
David Legwand (Bruised foot on 3/9/08) day-to-day
Jed Ortmeyer (Right knee injury on 2/24/08) IR
Steve Sullivan (Back surgery on 9/14/07) IR
Bottom of the Cellar Standings:
26 Islanders 71 points, 10 games remaining
27 Blues 69 points, 12 games remaining
28 Thrashers 68 points, 11 games remaining
29 Lightning 62 points, 12 games remaining 30 Kings 60 points, 11 games remaining
Key/Division Games Tonight:
Lightning @ Bruins 4:00 PM PST | 7:00 PM EST Flames @ Thrashers 4:00 PM PST | 7:00 PM EST
Senators @ Canadiens 4:30 PM PST | 7:30 PM EST Stars @ Red Wings 4:30 PM PST | 7:30 PM EST
Devils @ Wild 5:00 PM PST | 8:00 PM EST Oilers @ Avalanche 6:30 PM PST | 9:30 PM EST Canucks @ Coyotes 7:00 PM PST | 10:00 PM EST
***GDT - Los Angeles Kings @ Nashville Predators - 3/13/08*** 
Maverick
