Music: {allcanada} Los Angeles (27-22-2) at Edmonton (15-26-8)

Tuesday, February 1, 2011

{allcanada} Los Angeles (27-22-2) at Edmonton (15-26-8)

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Game info: 9:30 pm EST Wed Feb 2, 2011
TV: KCOP, RSW

Los Angeles' three-week road stretch did not get off to a good start. A stop in Edmonton could help the Kings get back on track.

The Kings look to remain undefeated against the Oilers this season with a fifth consecutive victory at Rexall Place on Wednesday night.

Los Angeles (27-22-2) had its three-game winning streak snapped when it opened a 10-game trip with a 1-0 shootout loss at Minnesota on Tuesday. It was the Kings' first defeat in six shootouts this season.

With the Grammy Awards and the NBA All-Star game occupying Staples Center, the Kings will spend most of February criss-crossing North America during a trip that could have a major impact on their playoff status.

Los Angeles, 10-13-1 on the road, is tied for 10th in the tight Western Conference.

"The most important thing, obviously, is to win, but you want to play good," Kings coach Terry Murray said. "You want to give yourself every opportunity to win the game."

Facing the lowly Oilers (15-26-8) might give the Kings a good chance to bounce back and make up some ground in the standings.

Los Angeles is 6-0-4 against the Oilers since losing 5-4 in regulation Feb. 28, 2008. That run includes a pair of home wins over Edmonton this season.

The Kings have held the Oilers to five goals during their four-game road winning streak in the series. Three of those contests, however, have been decided by one goal.

Kings center Anze Kopitar (notes), who scored twice in Sunday's All-Star game, had a goal in Los Angeles' 5-2 home win over Edmonton on Jan. 15.

After backup Jonathan Bernier (notes) stopped 25 shots Tuesday, Jonathan Quick (notes) could have a chance for his fourth straight victory in this contest.

Quick is 3-0-0 with a 1.33 goals-against average at Edmonton.

The Oilers, who entered the break after a 3-1 loss at Dallas last Wednesday, have dropped 17 of 21 and are last in the West with 38 points.

They look to get a boost with the expected return of forward Ales Hemsky (notes), who missed the last four games with a concussion. Hemsky is second on the team with 20 assists but has one for his only point in his last three games versus Los Angeles.

"I think Ales is right there to play," coach Tom Renney told the Oilers' official website. "I think we're going to play him."

The news might not be as positive for rookie Jordan Eberle (notes), who has been out since New Year's Day after suffering an ankle injury and undergoing an appendectomy.

Leading scorer Dustin Penner (notes), who scored at Los Angeles last month, has a goal in each of the last two games overall.

Nikolai Khabibulin (notes) has lost his last 11 starts, but Renney is not about to place total blame for his team's struggles on his veteran netminder. Edmonton's 122 goals are the fewest in the West.

"It's not a one-man deal at all, it's on everybody," Renney said. "It's on coaching, on players, on everyone who contributes on the ice."

Edmonton is looking to avoid a fourth straight loss at home, where it is 7-13-4 this season.