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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 (26-36-5) 57 pts
@
St. Louis Blues (28-27-10) 66 pts
Game Time: 5:30 PM PST | 8:30 PM EST
Location: Scottrade Center | St.
A recent scoring slump has the St. Louis Blues in danger of falling out of playoff contention in the Western Conference.
The Blues look to avoid matching a season high with their seventh straight loss when they host the lowly Los Angeles Kings on Tuesday night.
St. Louis (28-27-10) lost 2-0 at home against San Jose on Saturday to fall to 0-5-1 in its last six games following a 4-0-1 stretch. It was the second time in four games an opponent shut out the Blues, who have been outscored 16-4 during their current slide.
They now have the second-fewest points in the West, ahead of only Los Angeles (26-36-5), and are eight points out of the final playoff spot.
St. Louis has missed the playoffs each of the last two seasons after making it 25 straight times.
Saturday's loss came the same day Blues goal-scoring leader Brad Boyes signed a four-year, $16 million contract. Though the 25-year-old forward is among the NHL leaders with 32 goals, he's been held without a point in his last six contests.
Boyes hasn't registered a point in three games against the Kings this season.
Manny Legace made 32 saves against San Jose in his sixth straight loss. Despite little offensive help, Legace has managed to hold his own during the losing streak, allowing more than two goals twice over that span.
He allowed four goals as St. Louis lost 5-1 at Los Angeles on Feb. 21 to snap a five-game winning streak over the Kings and start the Blues on their current slide. The All-Star, though, is 10-2-0 with a tie and a 2.76 goals-against average against the Kings.
St. Louis has won two of the three meetings with Los Angeles this season and three in a row at home overall versus the Kings.
Los Angeles, nine points back of St. Louis, tries to avoid a fifth straight loss after falling 2-1 in overtime at Minnesota on Sunday.
Michael Cammalleri had a goal for his 200th career point and Erik Ersberg made 33 saves in his first NHL start for the Kings, who have lost five in a row on the road.
Ersberg, the sixth goalie to start for the Kings in 2007-08, could earn another start Tuesday as Jason LaBarbera remains day-to-day with a groin injury.
Cammalleri, who has a goal and four assists against St. Louis this season, has three goals and three assists in his last four contests overall.
The Kings have a road record of 12-19-3 and their last 10 games is a record of 3-5-2.
The Blues have a home record of 18-13-5, and their last 10 games is a record of 3-5-2.
The Kings return home to open up a 3-game Canadian home stand on Thursday night against the Ottawa Senators at Staples Center.
"I thought our guys played terrific tonight and we deserved a better fate. But it was a close game. They are used to playing those close games, and they got a nice goal to win it. It was a good play, an honest goal, so you can't really complain too much," Kings coach Marc Crawford said.
"It's a little bitter when you end up losing the game, but we got one point and I'm happy with my performance," Ersberg said.
Los Angeles Kings
Derek Armstrong (Left knee sprain on 2/22/08) day-to-day
Jason LaBarbera (Groin injury on 2/21/08) day-to-day
Ladislav Nagy (Sore neck on 1/19/08) IR
St. Louis Blues
Dan Hinote (Hip injury on 2/26/08) day-to-day
Mike Johnson (Left shoulder surgery on 1/3/08) IR
02/21/08 - Blues @ Kings 5-1 (Kings win)
02/12/08 - Kings @ Blues 4-2 (Blues win)
10/06/07 - Blues @ Kings 5-3 (Blues win)
Leading Scorers:
Forwards: Kopitar, LA - 64 points (28 G, 36 A, -17) | Kariya, STL - 51 points (15 G, 36 A, -5)
Defensemen: Visnovsky, LA - 35 points (6 G, 29 A, -19) | E. Johnson, STL - 23 points (3 G, 20 A, +1)
Probable Starters: (subject to change)
Ersberg, LA - 2 GP Record: 0-0-2 GAA 1.89 SV% .944 | Legace, STL - 54 GP Record: 23-20-7 GAA 2.29 SV% .914
Players you might want to keep an eye on:
Alexander Frolov, LA - 57 points (19 G, 38 A, -1) | Brad Boyes, STL - 47 points (32 G, 15 A, +2)
GAA:
LA – 3.31 (30th in NHL) STL – 2.69 (13th in NHL)
Avg. Goals: LA – 2.82 (10th in NHL)
STL – 2.45 (28th in NHL)
Power Play %: LA – 18.3 (12th in NHL)
STL – 13.5 (29th in NHL)
Penalty Kill %:
LA – 78.6 (28th in NHL) STL – 83.7 (8th in NHL)
(As of 3/3/08)
Pacific Division Standings:
1. Dallas Stars (41-23-5) 87 pts
2. Anaheim Ducks (38-23-7) 83 pts
3. San Jose Sharks (37-21-8) 82 pts
4. Phoenix Coyotes (33-28-5) 71 pts
5. Los Angeles Kings (26-36-5) 57 pts
Kings win 5-2. Brown (2 goals), Kopitar, JMFJ, and Frolov with the goals. And for god sakes win this time guys! I am down to like 40 points >.< not smart to start betting on the Kings at the start of their losing streak... GO KINGS!
— Is Murray losing the locker room? The grumbling is intensifying over Murray's many meetings and other matters. For his part, Murray has publicly questioned the players' effort. This isn't a happy group. The players responded dramatically when Murray took over for Mike Kitchen on Dec. 11, 2006, but the charm has worn off. Since March 3, 2007, the Blues are 34-35-14. Since Dec. 9 of this season, the Blues have the fewest wins in the league. The talent level hasn't dropped, but the morale seems to be sinking. Can he pull his team up?
Quote:
Should Murray shake up his staff? Assistant coach Ray Bennett coordinates the power play, the team's most self-destructive weakness. Not counting 1967-68 (the numbers are incomplete), the Blues over the last two seasons have posted the two worst power-play success rates in franchise history. Only 12.1 percent last season, and 13.1 percent this season. Clearly, something must change. The Blues have been offensively challenged under Murray since he became coach, ranking 27th among the 30 NHL teams in goals per game, 30th in power-play percentage and 30th in shots on goal per game.
***GDT - Los Angeles Kings @ St. Louis Blues - 3/4/08*** 
Maverick
