The Vancouver Canucks will try to regain their offensive touch when they welcome the Los Angeles Kings for tonight's battle at General Motors Place.
The Canucks have lost four of their last six games and there has been a huge disparity in the club's offensive output over that span. Vancouver tallied 13 goals in the two victories, but managed a total of three goals in the four losses.
Vancouver played two straight games against Colorado on November 14 and 20, respectively, and won both contests while outscoring the Avalanche by a combined 13-4 margin. However, the Canucks followed up Friday's 5-2 win over the Avs with a 1-0 loss to Chicago this past Monday. Antti Niemi stopped all 30 shots he faced to lead the way for the Blackhawks.
Roberto Luongo made 16 saves for Vancouver, which was shut out for just the second time this season.
On the bright side, Daniel Sedin made his return to the ice after missing 18 games due to a broken foot. Sedin, who re-joined his twin brother Henrik on the club's top line, had a team-high 31 goals for the Canucks in 2008-09.
"I don't think we had enough guys in front of the net," said Daniel. "He [Niemi] had an easy game I think. That's one thing we have to work on."
Tonight marks the third segment of a five-game homestand for the Canucks, who are 8-3-0 as the host this year. Vancouver had a three-game home winning streak halted by the Blackhawks on Monday.
The Kings ended a two-game slide on Wednesday as they entered Edmonton and claimed a 3-1 victory over the Oilers. A rare goal from Matt Greene with 4:28 to play lifted LA to victory at Rexall Place.
Greene, who has just four goals in 258 career games, scored his first of the season for the Kings. Wayne Simmonds also scored and added an assist, and Alexander Frolov added an empty-net tally.
"We've had a little bit of trouble at home," Simmonds said. "We were in a two- game skid there, and I think was a good character win."
Jonathan Quick stopped 22 shots to earn the win and also halt a personal two- game losing streak.
The Kings could have defenseman Rob Scuderi back on the ice tonight after he missed the last four games with a lower-body injury. Scuderi is expected to be a game-time decision. Meanwhile, forward Jarret Stoll, who has seven goals and 18 points this season, is questionable for this evening after missing Wednesday's contest with a lower-body injury.
LA is 9-5-1 as the guest and has won three straight and five of its last six road tests.
The Canucks notched a 2-1 shootout victory on October 29 in Los Angeles and have won three straight and five of the last six meetings in the series. The Kings have lost in their last two trips to British Columbia.