[1:00 PM] Kings @ Bruins

Who will WIN this matchup?

Los Angeles Kings (16-12-2)

@ Boston Bruins (16-13-3)

 

Starting Goalies:

Peter Budaj(LAK): Likely

Tuukka Rask(BOS): Unconfirmed

 

• Jeff Carter called the Los Angeles Kings a fragile team – harsh words for any professional athlete to hear, let alone a hockey player – after their 6-3 loss in Buffalo on Tuesday. Los Angeles’ leading goal scorer and his teammates responded with victories on back-to-back nights and hope to continue that success when the Kings visit the Boston Bruins on Sunday afternoon in the fourth contest of a season-high seven-game road trip.

• Carter (club-high 24 points) scored twice against Buffalo and his 14 goals nearly double the output of the next-highest scoring teammate as Tyler Toffoli recorded his eighth goal Friday for his third in two games. Marian Gaborik (one goal, three assists in nine games) is pointless on the road trip as he continues to work his way back from missing the first 21 contests of the season with a foot injury. Defensemen Alec Martinez (six) and Drew Doughty (five) are the next-highest scorers while Toffoli boasts a team-best plus-15 rating with Dustin Brown a club-worst minus-10.

• Boston, which is 1-3-2 in its last six games, will be without leading scorer David Pastrnak (19 goals, second in the NHL to Sidney Crosby’s 21) for at least two contests because of an elbow injury. Brad Marchand (nine goals, team-most 27 points) recorded a point in seven of his last eight games (two goals, five assists) while linemate Patrice Bergeron (four goals, nine points) continues to struggle offensively with one assist in his last six games. Tuukka Rask allowed at least three goals in four of his last five starts and is 3-1-2 in December after going 12-3-1 in October and November.

• The Kings are in a stretch of nine consecutive games away from home as they go back on the road for two contests after a four-day Christmas break.

• Boston D Kevan Miller reportedly left Wednesday’s game against Pittsburgh due to an upper-body injury and is questionable after missing Thursday’s contest.

• Los Angeles won both meetings last season – a 3-2 verdict at home that followed a 9-2 decision in Boston in which nine Kings scored.

 

StreakSmarts Pick: Los Angeles Kings

Confidence: 5/10

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