The Los Angeles Kings and Anaheim Ducks open up a two day home and home hockey series tonight at the Staples Center at 7:30 pm. The two teams will play again tomorrow night at the Honda Center in Anaheim. These are the first two games of six scheduled this season. The Ducks won four of six head to head match-ups last year.
This rendition of the Freeway Faceoff (not to be confused with the Dodger-Angel Freeway Series) features two teams heading in different directions. Anaheim has lost seven of their last eight games, while Los Angeles has won two of three after a five game losing skid. Anaheim started the season 4-1-0, but are now averaging a league worst 2.0 goals per game average.
"You try to put your finger on it and do different things to prepare," Bobby Ryan told AnaheimDucks.com. "We've taken different approaches and nothing has worked. Twenty-five guys in the room have to say enough is enough and that hasn't happened yet. It's been embarrassing."
During their five game losing streak, the Kings failed to score more than two goals in all five games. Since then, the Kings have had offensive outbursts against Nashville and Minnesota, and hope to close out their final game of their four game homestand on a high note.
"I really liked the focus coming into the game [Saturday]," said Kings coach Terry Murray. "The players came out right away with the kind of intensity and attitude of moving their feet, getting pucks north, and recovering pucks."
The Ducks have won the last three games of this series. The last time the Kings beat the Ducks was on February 23rd, 2011.