(Sports Network) - The Kings were able to pick up some revenge over the Canucks when the two clubs opened the season against each other last Saturday. Now they'll try to erase the bitter memory of their last meeting at the Staples Center.
Los Angeles plays host to Vancouver tonight at the Staples Center for the first time since last season's playoffs.
The Kings made the postseason a year ago for the first time since 2002, but were quickly dispatched in six games by the Canucks. That pivotal Game 6 took place at the Staples Center on April 25 and was won by the Canucks, 4-2.
The two clubs then opened up this season against each other almost a week ago in Vancouver, where Los Angeles posted a 2-1 shootout victory. Jonathan Quick made 23 saves and stopped both skaters he faced in the shootout, while Roberto Luongo gave up shootout tallies to Anze Kopitar and Jack Johnson after making 31 stops over the first 65 minutes.
Quick improved to 2-4-1 with a 2.11 goals-against average versus Vancouver, while Luongo fell to 10-7-2 with a 2.32 GAA lifetime when facing Los Angeles. The two will likely rematch tonight.
The Kings have now won two straight in the regular season over the Canucks after dropping five straight.
After beating Vancouver, Quick was rested the following day in Calgary, a 3-1 loss for LA, but he returned to net on Wednesday to back stop a 3-1 victory over the Thrashers. Quick made 31 saves, while Ryan Smyth and Jarret Stoll scored in a 2:17 span early in the third.
Smyth also tallied an empty-net goal and assisted on Stoll's game-winning marker.
"I thought we stuck to the system very well and kept getting pucks in deep," Smyth said. "That's a huge affect to our team. We limit their time and space with the puck and their time in our zone and you have to give them credit for that."
Vancouver rebounded to beat Florida at home two days after losing to Los Angeles, but dropped a 4-3 test in Anaheim on Wednesday in its first road game of the season.
Christian Ehrhoff and Raffi Torres both scored, Daniel Sedin had a goal and an assist and Luongo allowed four goals on 32 shots faced.
"It was unfortunate because I was able to get across but I couldn't see the shot go off because our defenseman was trying to cut the pass off," Luongo said of Anaheim's game-winning goal in the third period. "So I wasn't able to see the ice like I would've liked on that particular play."
Despite giving up four goals, Luongo still has a 1.96 GAA over his first three starts, while Henrik and Daniel Sedin both have recorded at least one point in each game so far this year.
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