{"id":166969,"date":"2022-12-24T10:30:10","date_gmt":"2022-12-24T10:30:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/harchi90.com\/12-23-preview-noel-morning-skate-home-mull-one-vilar-die-hard-the-night-before\/"},"modified":"2022-12-24T10:30:10","modified_gmt":"2022-12-24T10:30:10","slug":"12-23-preview-noel-morning-skate-home-mull-one-vilar-die-hard-the-night-before","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/harchi90.com\/12-23-preview-noel-morning-skate-home-mull-one-vilar-die-hard-the-night-before\/","title":{"rendered":"12\/23 Preview – No(el) Morning Skate + Home Mull-one, Vilar-Die Hard, The Night Before"},"content":{"rendered":"
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TONIGHT’S MATCHUP:<\/strong> The Kings have one more game before the holiday break, as they complete a back-to-back set this evening with their first-ever trip to Mullett Arena. <\/p>\n HEAD-TO-HEAD:<\/strong> Forwards Anze Kopitar (2-0-2) and Kevin Fiala (1-1-2) led the way for the Kings against Arizona during a 5-3 Kings victory earlier this season. 12 Kings players tallied a point in that game, with 10 of those 12 expected to dress tonight in Tempe. Overall, dating back to the 2020-21 season, the Kings have a six-game point streak versus the Coyotes, in addition to a seven-game winning streak in Arizona. <\/p>\n KINGS VITALS: <\/strong>Following yesterday’s overtime victory over Calgary, the Kings will not hold a morning skate today in Arizona. <\/p>\n Considering the back-to-back, consider goaltender Jonathan Quick tonight’s likely starter, after Pheonix Copley got the nod yesterday versus the Flames. Quick has posted a lifetime record of 23-20-5 against the Coyotes, with a .904 save percentage and a 2.50 goals-against average. Quick’s start would be his first since December 11 in Columbus.<\/p>\n \u201cQuickie has been through a lot in his career and he’s as competitive as they come,\u201d McLellan said. \u201cHe wants that net and he’ll [eventually] get that net and when he does, he’ll play very well\u2026..and I expect our group to play very well in front of him too, they owe him that.\u201d<\/p>\n Considering the lack of a morning skate, we won’t know tonight’s lineup until closer to puck drop. As we saw yesterday, a lot can change between now and then. For reference, here’s how the Kings lined up yesterday evening at home \u2013 <\/p>\n night’s @LAKings<\/a> Line Rushes \u2013 <\/p>\n Fiala \u2013 Kopitar \u2013 Kempe Anderson-Doughty Copley Kaliyev blocked a shot late last game and won’t play tonight.<\/p>\n \u2014 Zach Dooley (@DooleyLAK) December 23, 2022<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n The Kings will once again be without forward Arthur Kaliyev, who will miss tonight’s game due to injury. Kaliyev blocked a shot late in the win over Anaheim and though he did practice each of the last two days, he was unable to go last night and is already ruled out for this evening’s game. Forward Carl Grundstrom checked in last night in his place, with Gabe Vilardi moving up in the lineup as a result. More on that below. <\/p>\n Should the Kings opt for a change, forward Brendan Lemieux is now healthy and available, after he was activated from injured reserve yesterday afternoon. Lemieux missed 18 games with a lower-body injury and took warmups last night. He is the team’s lone available extra up front. On the backend, defenseman Jordan Spence was the odd-man out yesterday and is available tonight should the Kings opt for a change on the blueline. <\/p>\n COYOTES VITALS:<\/strong> Tonight’s game begins a three-game homestand for the Coyotes, with the Avalanche and Maple Leafs set to visit Arizona following the holiday break. Arizona has lost three straight coming in and four of their last five. <\/p>\n Goaltender Karel Vejmelka is tonight’s projected starter for the Coyotes, marking his seventh start from his team’s last eight games played heading into the break. Vejmelka has faced the Kings three times throughout his NHL career, including the 5-3 defeat earlier this season. The Czech netminder is 1-2-0 with a .907 save percentage and a 3.30 goals-against average from those three appearances. <\/p>\n Per Arizona’s official team account, here’s how the Coyotes lined up last time out \u2013 <\/p>\n\n
Iafallo \u2013 Danault \u2013 Moore
Arvidsson \u2013 Lizotte \u2013 Vilardi
Anderson-Dolan \u2013 Kupari \u2013 Grundstrom<\/p>\n
Durzi \u2013 Roy
Edler-Walker<\/p>\n
Quick<\/p>\n\n