(Sports Network) - After splitting a pair of road games to begin the season, the Los Angeles Kings will kick of their 2010-11 home schedule when they host the Atlanta Thrashers tonight at Staples Center.
The Kings earned a 2-1 shootout victory in Vancouver on Saturday, but were then dealt a regulation loss the following night in Calgary. LA was handed a 3-1 setback by the Flames in Sunday's game at the Saddledome. Curtis Glencross scored a short-handed goal and Miikka Kiprusoff turned away 21 shots in the win for the Flames.
Dustin Brown notched the lone goal and Jonathan Bernier made 29 saves in defeat.
"In the second part of the game, Calgary, they were the team out there; they really didn't give us anything," said Kings head coach Terry Murray. "We're not happy with the way we finished this game tonight."
Los Angeles is playing the first test of a three-game homestand tonight and will also host the Canucks and Carolina during the residency. After the conclusion of this homestand, the Kings will head back out on the road for a five-game road trip and won't play at the Staples Center again until October 30.
Atlanta, meanwhile, is playing the second tilt of a four-game road trip tonight and will try to rebound from Saturday's loss in Tampa.
The Thrashers began the season with a 4-2 home victory over Alex Ovechkin and the Washington Capitals on Friday, but were then dealt a 5-3 setback the following night by the Lightning. Atlanta fell behind 4-0 in Saturday's game, but were able to cut the deficit to one goal in the third period before Steven Stamkos' second goal of the contest put Tampa ahead 5-3.
"I thought we fought back hard there," said Thrashers forward Fredrik Modin. "Another goal in the third, they managed to pull away a little bit when we had the momentum. They played well tonight."
Ben Eager notched a goal and an assist for the Thrashers. Chris Thorburn and Tobias Enstrom added a goal each, while Chris Mason was tagged for five goals on 36 shots in defeat.
Mason is expected to start in net again tonight as Ondrej Pavelec is still sidelined following his collapse in Atlanta's season opener against Washington. Just 2:25 into the game prior to a faceoff in the Washington end, Pavelec lost consciousness at the other end of the ice. He lay motionless for several minutes as trainers attended to him and was eventually carted off the ice on a stretcher and taken to a local hospital where he eventually regained consciousness.
Pavelec was released from the hospital Sunday and preliminary results showed that Pavelec suffered from a type of fainting spell known as a neurocardiogenic syncope episode. The 23-year-old Czech netminder will have to undergo further tests before being allowed to return to action.
Drew MacIntyre is expected to serve as Mason's backup again tonight.
Atlanta posted a 7-0 rout over the visiting Kings in the only meeting between the clubs last season. The Thrashers have won three straight and four of the last five encounters overall, but LA has four wins in six all-time meetings at the Staples Center.