Avs, without Barrie, visit Kings
Official game preview Colorado Avalanche vs Los Angeles Kings.Season series: The Los Angeles Kings won each of the three games against the Colorado Avalanche last season. Jeff Carter had three goals and five points, and Marian Gaborik and Kyle Clifford each had two goals for Los Angeles. Gabriel Landeskog had three points, and Alex Tanguay had a goal and an assist for Colorado.
Avalanche team scope (2-2-0): Colorado goalie Semyon Varlamov likely will play after backup Reto Berra made 35 saves in a 3-0 win against the Anaheim Ducks on Friday. The Avalanche allowed 14 goals in their first three games. "We were ready for them," coach Patrick Roy told the Avalanche website after the game. "I'm very proud of our players. They showed a lot of character and they showed that they want to turn our season around after the last game, and we had to come up with a big performance." The penalty kill did not allow a goal on five chances after allowing a goal in two of the first three games. Defenseman Tyson Barrie on Saturday was suspended three games by the NHL Department of Player Safety for his hit on Ducks defenseman Simon Despres.
Kings team scope (1-3-0): Los Angeles held an optional skate Saturday that included seven skaters and backup goalie Jhonas Enroth, according to LA Kings Insider. Coach Darryl Sutter said defenseman Brayden McNabb likely would be in the lineup after blocking a shot in a 2-1 overtime win against the Minnesota Wild on Friday. "He wears his [skate protectors]," Sutter said. "He wanted to practice today. I just thought with pairs and ice time and playing tomorrow, it's better [that he rests]." Los Angeles scored two goals in its first three games of the season. "I think tonight was more like Kings hockey. Grinding teams and not scoring too many goals, but it feels nice to get the first one out of the way," Anze Kopitar, who scored in overtime, told the Kings website Friday. This ends a five-game season-opening homestand.
-- by David Satriano for NHL.com --
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18/10/2015 - 17:00
