NHL Grind Down: Sunday, April 2nd - Page Three
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Arizona Coyotes at Los Angeles Kings
| Arizona Coyotes | Los Angeles Kings | ||||||||
 | Mike Smith |  | Jonathan Quick | ||||||
| Record | Record | ||||||||
| 28-41-9 | 37-33-7 | ||||||||
| Stats | GF/GP | GA/GP | PP% | PK% | Stats | GF/GP | GA/GP | PP% | PK% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Team Stats | 2.34 | 3.19 | 15.30% | 77.60% | Team Stats | 2.41 | 2.41 | 19.30% | 85.30% |
The Coyotes came off the deck after losing seven of their last eight games to thrash the Metropolitan Division leaders in the Washington Capitals by a score of 6-3 in front of their home crowd on Friday night. This was obviously their playoff game as they have been out of the race for over two weeks now. Shane Doan returned to skate on the top line with Max Domi and Christian Dvorak while the second line of Radim Vrbata, Alex Burmistrov and Clayton Keller shore up the second line. Vrbata is the team leader with 18 goals and 35 assists while defenseman Oliver Ekman-Larsson and his 37 points are good enough for second on the team’s scoring chart. Normally the Coyotes aren’t known as a scoring team but they have scored 11 goals in the two wins that they have been able to come away with over the last seven games. The other side coin has seen the team tally just one goal in each of the five losses over that same time frame. It’s either feast or famine for this team and since they just ate plenty the other night they may be looking for a few bread crumbs when all is said and done in this one.
After a nice slate of competitive games the day could possibly end up with the Kings being eliminated from the playoffs as they need Nashville to lose their last five games while they have to win their remaining five games. Of course this could have already happened if the Predators have beaten the St Louis Blues earlier in the day. Jeff Carter will look to add to his team leading total 32 goals and 62 points while skating with Tyler Toffoli and tanner Pearson at even strength. Meanwhile Anze Kopitar must feel like a kid as his line mates in Marian Gaborik and Jarome Iginla have an age total of 74 years between them. Another interesting factoid is the amount of names that make up Iginla’s full name. Jarome Arthur-Leigh Adekunle Tig Junior Elvis Iginla is his full name so you can imagine what ‘JALATJEI’ must look like on his monogrammed towels at home. Even better, imagine the kid who found his glove that he left at the field when he was a young boy trying to read that. Anyway, I digress as I seem to have gotten a bit off-track here. Carter and Kopitar are the best bets here from the front line. Drew Doughty anchors the back line as his 41 points is the best the Kings have at the defensive position. Even though the Kings are on the brink of elimination, they should be able to handle the Pacific Division basement dwellers here on home ice tonight.
Elite Plays
ARZ: None
LAK: Jeff Carter
Secondary Plays
ARZ: Radim Vrbata, Oliver Ekman-Larsson, Christian Dvorak
LAK: Anze Kopitar, Drew Doughty, Tyler Toffoli