(Sports Network) - Off to their best home start in club history, the Los Angeles Kings now play five of their next six on the road. They open that stretch against the San Jose Sharks, who have been playing pretty well in their own venue as of late too.
The Kings seek a seventh straight victory overall this evening while the Sharks wrap a five-game homestand at HP Pavilion.
Los Angeles leads the Western Conference in wins and points, while its 12-3-0 mark is the club's best start in team history through 15 games. The Kings picked up win No. 12 on Saturday, a 5-1 victory over the New York Islanders that gave Los Angeles an 8-0-0 mark at home this season.
Anze Kopitar scored twice and had an assist, Dustin Brown scored in his third straight game with a penalty-shot goal and Justin Williams also lit the lamp to give him six goals and 11 points over a nine-game point streak.
"By no means it was an easy game," Kopitar said. "Maybe the score shows it that way, but they battled hard, and they have some skill players you have to be aware of at all times. I thought it was a good team game tonight."
Jonathan Quick won his seventh straight start with 18 saves. His 10-1-0 mark to begin the season is the best in club history after 11 decisions, besting Robb Stauber's 9-1-1 beginning to the 1992-93 season.
Los Angeles has outscored its opponents 21-6 over its current win streak, the team's longest since a nine-game run from Jan. 21-Feb. 6, and will try to carry over its solid home play to the road, where it is 4-3-0 this season.
The Kings won two of three in San Jose last year, but split six overall meetings and have lost eight of their last 12 to the Sharks.
San Jose, meanwhile, is 3-0-1 on its five-game homestand and picked up its second straight victory on Saturday over Calgary, 4-3.
Logan Couture, Joe Pavelski, and Ryane Clowe each registered a goal and two assists, while Joe Thornton also scored. For Pavelski, it was his first goal in nine games.
"Any time you get two points, it's a good thing," Thornton told San Jose's website. "I think we've been playing better. It also helps being at home for so many games like we have been. We're winning some games and using the home ice to our advantage."
Making just his second start since Oct. 24, Antti Niemi made 28 saves to earn his first victory since his Sharks debut on Oct. 8.
It is unknown if Niemi will get another start tonight or if Antero Niittymaki will be back in goal. Niemi has won all three of his starts versus the Kings with a 1.32 goals-against average, while Niittymaki is 1-0-2 against them with a 1.58 GAA.
Quick is 3-1-1 with a 2.95 GAA in his career versus San Jose, while Williams has just one goal and three assists in 10 career games when facing the club.
For more Kings news and analysis, be sure to read the SB Nation blog Jewels From The Crown.