KINGS (17-14-4) at OILERS (18-12-6)
9 p.m. ET; SNW, FS-W, NHL.TV
Kings team scope
The Los Angeles Kings lost 2-1 at the Vancouver Canucks on Wednesday in their first game back from a four-day Christmas break. The Kings fell behind 2-0 after two periods and despite out-shooting the Canucks 37-20 were unable to complete a third-period comeback. The Kings will finish their nine-game road trip Thursday. They'll play the San Jose Sharks at home Saturday, their first home game since Dec. 10. "It's almost like the first game after a long trip when you think about it," Kings coach Darryl Sutter told LAKingsinsider.com on Wednesday. "We played the seven and then went home. We had good energy [Wednesday], I just think that we don't have a lot of scoring in our lineup, especially with Tyler [Toffoli] out. And if you get down one you're fine, but you get down two you're playing a different game then." Toffoli was placed on injured reserve Wednesday because of a lower-body injury and will miss his fourth straight game Thursday. Toffoli is second on the Kings with eight goals and 20 points in 32 games. The Kings did not have a morning skate Thursday.
Oilers team scope
The Edmonton Oilers are playing their first game after a five-day Christmas break. The Oilers lost 3-2 in overtime at the San Jose Sharks on Dec. 23 in their final game before the break. "We definitely had some nice time off that we spent with family and all that," Oilers captain Connor McDavid said. "That's all good and guys are ready to come back. We feel good and energized, and at the same time we could have a little bit of cobwebs coming off a break like that. And these guys [Kings] played last night so they'll have shook those off. So it's kind of up to us to get into it early." The Oilers lost 4-2 to the Kings at Staples Center in Los Angeles on Nov. 17 in their first game against the Kings this season. They lead the Kings by four points in the Pacific Division but the Kings have one game in hand. "Them losing last night and us having an opportunity to take that game in hand away from them is big," Oilers forward Mark Letestu said. "It's a big game. It's a really big game. I think the focus and the energy is not going to be a problem. It's whether the legs and hands cooperate together." Defenseman Andrej Sekera (illness) will not play.
Kings projected lineup
Marian Gaborik -- Anze Kopitar -- Dustin Brown
Tanner Pearson -- Jeff Carter -- Devin Setoguchi
Dwight King -- Nic Dowd -- Trevor Lewis
Kyle Clifford -- Jordan Nolan -- Nick Shore
Scratched: Andy Andreoff, Tom Gilbert
Injured: Jonathan Quick (lower body), Brayden McNabb (arm), Tyler Toffoli (lower body)
Oilers projected lineup
Milan Lucic -- Connor McDavid -- Jordan Eberle
Patrick Maroon -- Ryan Nugent-Hopkins -- Leon Draisaitl
Matt Hendricks -- Mark Letestu -- Zack Kassian
Benoit Pouliot -- Drake Caggiula -- Jesse Puljujarvi
Kris Russell -- Matt Benning
Brandon Davidson -- Eric Gryba
Scratched: Taylor Beck
Injured: Iiro Pakarinen (knee), Andrew Ference (hip), Darnell Nurse (foot), Mark Fayne (lower body), Tyler Pitlick (knee), Andrej Sekera (illness)
Status report
Sekera is missing his first game of the season. Benning, who had been a healthy scratch the past three games, will play in Sekera's place. Talbot will make his eighth consecutive start.
Who's hot
Carter has five goals and one assist during a four-game point streak. Pearson has one goal and two assists in his past three games. … Maroon has two goals in his past three games. Draisaitl has one goal and four assists in his past four games. McDavid has one goal and two assists in his past three games.
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