Music: {allcanada} OILERS (23-41-13) at KINGS (37-25-14)

Wednesday, April 1, 2015

{allcanada} OILERS (23-41-13) at KINGS (37-25-14)

ESPN Fantasy Baseball / Yahoo Fantasy Baseball

Thursday, April 2, 2015

10:30 PM ET

OILERS (23-41-13) at KINGS (37-25-14)

TV: SNW, FS-W

Season series: The Los Angeles Kings are 2-0-1 against the Edmonton Oilers and have scored at least five goals on two occasions. This is the first time the Kings will host the Oilers since Oct. 14.

Oilers team scope: Edmonton is wrapping up a three-game road trip. The Oilers saw their three-game win streak end in a 5-1 loss at the Anaheim Ducks on Wednesday. Oilers center Ryan Nugent-Hopkins has five goals in his past seven games. After the loss, coach Todd Nelson said he thought about pulling No. 1 goalie Ben Scrivens for rookie Tyler Bunz, a fifth-round draft pick in 2010. Regular backup Richard Bachman is away from the Oilers for personal reasons, so Scrivens is expected to start again Thursday. "I was considering it," Nelson said. "I think that if a sixth one went in, especially early in the third period, I think that'd be a time to rest up (Scrivens) for (Thursday) and get Tyler an opportunity." Forwards Matt Hendricks and Boyd Gordon are expected to return from back injuries against the Kings, according to the Edmonton Journal.

Kings team scope: Los Angeles will be without defenseman Andrej Sekera because of a lower-body injury. Sekera did not practice on Wednesday. "He's out," coach Darryl Sutter told LA Kings Insider. "He hasn't skated for a couple days, and he's seeing more of the doctor (Wednesday), and I'm sure that you guys seem to get information better than I do." Rich Hammond of the Orange County Register speculated that the injury is "not minor." The Kings will also be without forward Tanner Pearson (broken lower fibula). Forward Jarret Stoll (head) could play for the first time since March 12. Los Angeles enters the game two points behind the Winnipeg Jets for the second wild card into the Stanley Cup Playoffs from the Western Conference and three behind the Calgary Flames for third place in the Pacific Division. The Kings have a game in hand on the Jets and Flames.

Team Stats