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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. @
Los Angeles Kings (25-32-3) 53 pts
@
Phoenix Coyotes (29-25-4) 62 pts
Game Time: 6:00 PM PST | 9:00 PM EST
Location: Jobing.com Arena | Glendale,
Radim Vrbata is doing his part to keep the Phoenix Coyotes in the Western Conference playoff chase.
After leading them to victory over a first-place team, he'll try to help them beat the league-worst Los Angeles Kings on Saturday night in the opener of a home-and-home series.
Vrbata scored and had two assists Thursday to help the Coyotes (29-25-4) to a 5-2 win over Pacific Division-leading Dallas, ending a three-game losing streak while earning a split of that home-and-home set.
The right wing didn't have a point during the slide, which included a 2-1 road loss to the Stars on Monday.
Still, Vrbata is enjoying a banner season with career highs in goals (25) and points (45). He's recorded 21 goals and 36 points in the Coyotes' wins this season, including three in his last two games against Los Angeles (25-32-3).
Phoenix is 4-0-0 against the Kings this season and 11th in the West, three points behind eighth-place Colorado. Wayne Gretzky's team has not been to the postseason since 2001-02, but that drought it going to end this season.
Shane Doan, who also had a goal and two assists Thursday, has been with the team since it relocated from Winnipeg in 1996, and continues to be a major contributor. The right wing has 10 goals and 19 assists in the last 20 games, giving him a team-high 57 points. In that span, he been held off the scoresheet in two contests.
Doan has one goal in each game against Los Angeles this season to go along with two assists. Overall, he has six goals in a five-game streak at home versus the Kings.
Since the end the lockout in 2005, Phoenix is 9-1-0 at home against Los Angeles with the only loss coming by shutout.
The Kings are feeling positive despite their NHL-low 53 points. They're coming off a 6-3 home win against Calgary on Friday, during which rookie Ted Purcell scored his first NHL goal and fellow rookie Brian Boyle got his fourth in seven games since being promoted from the minors.
Anze Kopitar, who also scored against the Flames, has been another bright spot for the Kings. The center has seven goals and three assists in his last 10 games, giving him team highs of 25 goals and 55 points.
He has five goals and five assists in 12 career games against Phoenix, but has been limited to two assists in the last four games at Jobing.com Arena.
The Kings have a road record of 12-16-2, and their last 10 games is a record of 6-3-1.
The Coyotes have a home record of 12-13-2, and their last 10 games is a record of 4-4-2.
The Kings are back home on Monday night to finish the home and home series at Staples Center against the Phoenix Coyotes.
"The play of some of our younger people, especially Boyle and Purcell, was pretty special. And maybe it's pushing some other guys," coach Marc Crawford said.
"I think if that first one didn't go in, maybe things would be a bit different," Boyle said. "When I get a chance to shoot, I usually feel pretty confident. Fortunate for me, guys have been finding me in pretty good areas."
"Most of us thought when we signed Teddy last year that he was a sure-fire NHL prospect," Crawford said. "He was a guy that just about every team in the league made an offer to, and our people did a great job of convincing Teddy to come here.
"Obviously we knew we were going to have a big crowd, so it was real important to get off to a good start," O'Sullivan said. "Being gone for 18 days was really tough. We're still not adjusted to being home yet - and we've got to go play another road game tomorrow at Phoenix. But such is life in this league, especially being on the west coast."
Way too much to copy and paste. Click these links and enjoy!
Los Angeles Kings
Rob Blake (Left ankle fracture on 2/2/08) IR
Michael Cammalleri (Flu on 2/15/08) day-to-day
Ladislav Nagy (Sore neck on 1/19/08) IR
Scott Thornton (Upper body injury on 2/9/08) day-to-day
Phoenix Coyotes
Martin Hanzal (Shoulder injury on 2/5/08) IR
After ending long and ugly losing streaks vs. Detroit and Calgary, I hope the Kings can continue this trend by crushing Phoenix for the first time this year. Go Kings Go! Go Dan Cloutier!
***GDT - Los Angeles Kings @ Phoenix Coyotes - 2/16/08*** 
Blueline
