Los Angeles Kings vs. Edmonton Oilers: Preview
February 28, 2008 7 Comments
On Thursday, the Los Angeles Kings begin a four-game road swing, starting at Rexall Place where they skate against the Edmonton Oilers, a team the Kings are competing with for the first pick in the 2008 National Hockey League Entry Draft.
With the Kings already way, way out of playoff contention, losing games now helps them more than winning does in the long-run, so take your pick at how to look at this game.
But focusing on the game itself, the Oilers are hot, currently in the midst of a three-game winning streak and have won five straight games at home, their last two wins coming over the Colorado Avalanche and the Detroit Red Wings.
Perhaps the biggest reason for the Oilers’ hot streak has been the play of goaltender Mathieu Garon, who is red-hot. In his last two games, the former Kings netminder is 2-0 with a 2.42 goals-against average and a .931 save percentage. And in the shootout win over Detroit, Garon was once again the master of the shootout, denying the Red Wings in their three attempts.
This season, Garon is 9-0 in shootouts, allowing just two goals on 29 attempts. Over his career, he is 14-4 in shootouts.
The Kings go into the game 2-0-1 this season against the Oilers, but have lost three of their last four games going into tonight’s action, and this will be their first contest since the trade deadline, when they sent defenseman Brad Stuart to Detroit, signaling a re-configured blue line for the Kings tonight.
Dan Cloutier, who was pulled after allowing five goals on Saturday in a 6-5 overtime loss to the Chicago Blackhawks at Staples Center, will get the start in goal against the Oilers, barring any unforeseen circumstances.
NOTE: There is no television coverage in the Los Angeles area for this game, since this is a Thursday during college basketball season, and FSN West is televising Pac-10 basketball. I will not be able to watch this game, so chances are, outside of this preview, I will not have much to report on about this game.
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Gann:
Sorry- off topic. Since we picked up Ellis on waivers, do we still have 1st shot of players placed on recall waivers or do we go to back of line today since our acquistion? Does the order re-set everytime someone goes through waivers or only when picked up by another team?
The last place team always gets first crack at players placed on waivers, so that won’t change.
Gann, I think that’s true but once you pick someone up off of waivers, don’t you go to the back of the line? I’m pretty sure that’s how it goes. And since I have been wrong once this year already, it is pretty safe to say I will not be wrong again (on any subject). :-)
Maybe you’re right. I’ve been wrong many, many times. Sadly, I have no time to look this up. If anyone knows about this, please leave a comment. Thanks!
Thanks….just curious as Denis Gauthier (sean avery’s buddy) may go on recall waivers for philly (according to tsn) and wondered if there would be any benefit for us looking at him.
Sure…Gauthier would be better than Dallman, Harrold, Klemm and maybe Preissing. But it depends on what he’s going to be looking for in terms of a contract going forward. If he has trouble sticking with the Flyers, it makes you wonder how much better he would do here.
You’re right about that, if Modry is ahead of you on the depth chart, then maybe not… :) No knock on Modry- thought he did well for us this year. Gauthier would be available for around 1 mil (half his salary) through the end of next season. Like I said, not sure of the likelihood of the scenario but wondering.