LOS ANGELES KINGS NOTES:
DEC. 23 vs. ARIZONA COYOTES – 7:30 PM MT (6:30 p.m. PT) // Venue: Mullett Arena // TV: Bally Sports West // Radio: iHeartRadio
-The LA Kings visit the Arizona Coyotes for the second of three meetings between the clubs this season (5-3 W on Dec. 1; Feb. 18).
-The Kings look to win their fourth consecutive game over the Coyotes and their sixth in their last seven contests.
-Tonight marks the second game in LA’s fifth back-to-back this season. Prior to this set, the team is 4-2-2 in back-to-backs (3-1 in the first game, 1-1-2 in the second).
WARM-UPS
1) Anze Kopitar sits four points shy of 1,100 in his career. Only two LA Kings skaters have eclipsed 1,100 points in their career with the Kings: Marcel Dionne (1,307) and Luc Robitaille (1,154).
2) In their previous meeting earlier this year on Dec. 1, the Kings earned their 100th victory against the Coyotes in franchise history.
3) Phillip Danault and Blake Lizotte scored 10 seconds apart last night, marking the fastest two goals by the Kings this season. The last time the Kings tallied twice in 10 seconds or less was on March 10, when Danault and Andreas Athanasiou did so in eight seconds.
4) Viktor Arvidsson (121) has the fifth-most even-strength goals among 2014 NHL Draftees, sitting behind David Pastrnak (169), Leon Draisaitl (161), Nikolaj Ehlers (132) and Brayden Point (122).
5) Carl Grundstrom (88) leads the team in hits.
vs. ARIZONA^ ALL-TIME:
All-Time Record: 100-108-25-12
Home: 52-51-14-4
Away: 48-57-11-8
OT: 12-16 (24 ties)
Shootout: 5-5
2021-22: 2-0-1
2022-23: 1-0-0
^-against ARI franchise, dating back to WPG
FRANCHISE LEADERS vs. ARIZONA^:
Anze Kopitar – 86 GP, 89 PTS (24-65=89)
Luc Robitaille – 87 GP, 87 PTS (42-45=87)
Wayne Gretzky – 44 GP, 81 PTS (22-59=81)
Marcell Dionne – 49 GP, 75 PTS (34-41=75)
Dave Taylor – 85 GP, 75 PTS (28-47=75)
Bernie Nicholls – 58 GP, 64 PTS (28-36=64)
*-denotes active roster player
^-against ARI franchise, dating back to WPG
LAST MEETING vs. ARIZONA: December 1, 2022 – LAK 5 vs. ARI 3
Venue: Crypto.com Arena
LAK Goals: Kopitar (6, 7), Moore (7), Grundstrom (6), Fiala (8),
ARI Goals: Fischer (4), Maccelli (2), Bjugstad (5)
Goalies: LAK: Quick (W, 18 saves, 21 shots) ARI: Vejmelka (L, 27 saves, 31 shots)
LAK PP: 2-for-4
LAK PK: 3-for-3
THE NEXT THREE:
Tues., Dec. 27 | vs. Vegas Golden Knights | 7:30 p.m. PT | Bally Sports West | LA Kings iHeart Radio Audio Network
o No skater has more points against the Golden Knights in league history than Anze Kopitar (11-19=30).
Thurs., Dec. 29 | at Colorado Avalanche | 7:00 p.m. MT (6:00 p.m. PT) | Bally Sports West | LA Kings iHeart Radio Audio Network
o The LA Kings play Colorado for the first of three meetings between the clubs this season (March 9; April 8).
Thurs., Dec. 31 | vs. Philadelphia Flyers | 1:00 p.m. PT | Bally Sports West | LA Kings iHeart Radio Audio Network
o The LA Kings and Flyers met nearly one year from this date on Jan. 1, 2022. LA won, 6-3.
INJURY & MGL REPORT
Player, Games Missed, Date(s), Status
F Alex Iafallo, 23 games, Oct. 18 – Dec. 3 (lower-body)
F Brendan Lemieux, 18 games, Nov. 14 – Dec. 20 (lower-body)
F Quinton Byfield, 6 games, Oct. 27 – Nov. 5 (illness)
F Viktor Arvidsson, 2 games, Oct. 13 (illness); Oct. 25 (illness)
D Sean Durzi, 2 games, Nov. 19 – Nov. 22. (lower-body)
D Drew Doughty, 1 game, Dec. 11 (lower-body)
F Gabriel Vilardi, 1 game, Nov. 27 (lower-body)
2022-23 Total Regular-Season Man-Games List: 53
RECENT TRANSACTIONS (as of 12/23/22)
Dec. 7 – Brandt Clarke (D) loaned to Team Canada (IIHF).
Dec. 12 – Rasmus Kupari (F) and Jordan Spence (D) recalled from Ontario (AHL). Viktor Arvidsson (F) granted non-roster status.
Dec. 16 – Samuel Fagemo (F), Rasmus Kupari (F) and Tobias Bjornfot (D) loaned to Ontario (AHL).
Dec. 18 – Rasmus Kupari (F) and Jordan Spence (D) loaned to Ontario (AHL).
Dec. 19 – Rasmus Kupari (F) and Jordan Spence (D) recalled from Ontario (AHL).
Dec. 22 – Brendan Lemieux (F) activated from injured reserve.
Dec. 22 – Tobie Bisson (D) loaned to Hockey Canada for the Spengler Cup.
LA KINGS TEAM NOTES:
HOME AWAY FROM HOME
The LA Kings have found consistent success in The Grand Canyon State, having won their last seven consecutive games against the Coyotes in Arizona, dating back to Jan. 30, 2020. During that time, the Kings have scored 24 goals against the Coyotes, the most by any one team. The Kings’ seven game winning streak against the Coyotes in Arizona is the longest active such streak and tied for the third-longest in league history:
Longest road winning streaks against the Coyotes
Team Streak Dates
Boston Bruins 10 games Oct. 10, 2010 – Jan. 28, 2022
St. Louis Blues 9 games Dec. 23, 2011 – March 29, 2017
LA Kings* 7 games Jan. 30, 2020 – Pres.
Detroit Red Wings 7 games Oct. 15, 2005 – Dec. 13, 2008
Edmonton Oilers 7 games Oct. 7, 1983 – Jan. 6, 1985
Six teams 6 games n/a
PHEONIX RISING
Kings goaltender Pheonix Copley stopped 27 of 30 shots last night versus Calgary to improve to 6-1 on the season. In his seven games with the Kings this season, Copley has established a 2.49 goals-against average and .910 save percentage to go along with his 6-1-0 record. With his secondary assist on Phillip Danault’s first period goal last Saturday night versus San Jose, Copley became the 13th different goaltender to record a point this season. Since his season debut with the Kings, no goaltender has more wins than Copley and only Florida’s Sergei Bobrovsky (454:54) has logged more time on ice than Copley (433:08). A native of North Pole, AK, Copley is one of three Alaska-born goaltenders to play in the NHL, joining Jeremy Swayman (BOS) and Ty Conklin.
OH CAPTAIN, MY CAPTAIN
Anze Kopitar sits at 499 (177-322=499) career road points, trailing only Marcel Dionne (262-345=607) in club history. With one more point, Kopitar can become the fifth active player to eclipse 500 career road points:
Most road points among active skaters
Player GP Points
Alex Ovechkin 659 702 (409-293=702)
Sidney Crosby 573 647 (244-403=647)
Patrick Kane 566 569 (211-358=569)
Evgeni Malkin 504 521 (205-316=521)
Eric Staal 655 512 (217-295=512)
Anze Kopitar 623 499 (177-322=499)
Nicklas Backstrom 532 493 (130-363=493)
On Dec. 11 at Columbus, Kopitar surpassed Dave Taylor (198-298=496) for the second-most all-time road points in franchise history.
LAST TIME OUT
The last time the Kings and Coyotes met on Dec. 1, Anze Kopitar scored a pair of goals for his second consecutive multi-point game to earn his 20th point of the season (7-14=21), eclipsing the 20-point plateau for the 17th consecutive season. Kopitar’s two goals marked his 88th and 89th points (23-66=89) against the Arizona Coyotes franchise, surpassing Luc Robitaille (42-45=87) for the most points by an LA Kings skater against the Coyotes. Kopitar leads all active skaters in points against Arizona with the next closest skater being Dallas’ Joe Pavelski with 61 (31-30=61). Fellow teammate Drew Doughty sits sixth among active skaters and leads all active defensemen:
Most points versus Arizona among active skaters
Player GP PTS
Anze Kopitar 86 89 (24-65=89)
Joe Pavelski 75 61 (30-31=61)
Corey Perry 71 58 (29-29=58)
Patrick Kane 45 56 (17-39=56)
Jonathan Toews 44 47 (18-29=47)
Drew Doughty 67 46 (14-32=46)
ROYAL LEADER
Forward Kevin Fiala scored his 10th goal of the season Tuesday night to eclipse the 10-goal plateau for the seventh consecutive season and extend his team leading point total to 35 (10-25=35). He also boosted his regular-season totals in the 2022 calendar year to 100 points (37-63=100), becoming the 14th player in 2022 to reach the century mark. Per NHL PR, only three other calendar years in league history had as many: 1992 (20), 1983 (15) and 1993 (14). Fiala also leads the team in multi-point games this season with 10. (6 GP with 2 PTS; 3 GP with 3 PTS; 1 GP with 4 PTS). With one more three-plus point game, Fiala can become the first Kings skater since the 2017-18 season, and second in the last 15 years, to have at least five three-plus point games in a season (Anze Kopitar, 7 GP in 2017-18; 5 GP in 2014-15; 7 GP, 2009-10; 6 GP, 2008-09).
VILLARDI PARTY
Gabe Vilardi scored his team-leading 14th goal of the season last night giving him 22 points (14-8=22) in 35 games this season. With one more point, Vilardi can tie his season-high of 23 points (10-13=23) previously set in the 2002-21 season through 54 games. Vilardi’s 14 goals are sixth-most in the league among forwards 23 years of age or younger:
Most goals by skaters 23 years of age or younger
Player GP Goals
Jason Robertson (DAL) 34 24
Cole Caufield (MTL) 33 19
Jack Hughes (NJD) 33 17
Andrei Svechnikov (CAR) 33 17
Nick Suzuki (MTL) 33 15
Gabe Vilardi (LAK) 35 14
Brady Tkachuk 33 13
MULTI-POINT EFFORT FOR LIZZO
Forward Blake Lizotte recorded his first multi-point game of the year last night (1-1=2), giving him three points (1-2=3) in his last two outings. In 36 games this season, Lizotte has recorded 15 points (7-8=15) and sits three goals shy of tying his career-high of 10 set last season. Lizotte has skated in 213 career NHL games, tallying 72 points (26-46=72), which is the third-most among St. Cloud State University alumni:
Most NHL points among St. Cloud State Univ. alumni
Player GP PTS
Nic Dowd 405 115 (52-63=115)
Nick Jensen 442 105 (14-91=105)
Blake Lizotte 213 72 (26-46=72)
Ryan Poehling 115 30 (17-13=30)
Dennis Cholowski 115 30 (10-20=30)
HISTORY FOR #8
Drew Doughty scored his second goal of the season Tuesday night versus Anaheim for his 20th point on the year. Per NHL PR, Doughty is the fourth player, and first defenseman, in Kings history to record 15 consecutive campaigns of at least 20 points, joining Anze Kopitar (17), Dustin Brown (17) and Dave Taylor (15). Doughty has now recorded 39 points (8-31=39) in 68 career games against Anaheim. Doughty has scored his most points against Arizona (67 GP, 14-32=46). Doughty’s goal marked his 260th career power-play point. Only Brent Burns (287) has more power-play points among active defensemen in the league. Doughty also has 28 career game-winning goals. He needs one to surpass Butch Goring and Mike Murphy and move into a tie with Rob Blake (29) for seventh on the franchise’s all-time list.
YOUNG GUN
With one more point, Durzi can hit the 20-point mark for his second straight season from the start of his career. Last year, Durzi recorded his 20th point in his 48th game on March 24, 2022 against Chicago with his second career three-point game (0-3=3). Only three Kings defensemen in the past 25 years have recorded 20-plus points in each of their first two or more consecutive seasons in the NHL: Drew Doughty (14 seasons: 2008-09 to 2021-22 – can extend this season) L’ubomir Visnovsky (7 seasons: 2000-01 to 2007-08) and Slava Voynov (3 seasons: 2011-12 to 2013-14). Durzi sits at 97 career NHL games played entering tonight. With three more games played, Durzi can become the 11th defenseman from his draft class to appear in 100 career NHL games. In 33 games this season, Durzi has notched 19 points (4-15=19), which sits fourth among defensemen from the 2018 NHL Draft class and sixth among all skaters from his draft class:
2022-23 point totals among 2018 NHL Drafted defensemen
Player GP Points
Rasmus Dahlin (BUF) 31 37 (10-27=37)
Quinn Hughes (VAN) 28 28 (0-28=28)
Noah Dobson (NYI) 34 22 (10-12=22)
Sean Durzi (LAK) 33 19 (4-15=19)
Two Players n/a 16 (n/a)
RESPECT YOUR EDLERS
Since signing with the Kings in 2021, defenseman Alex Edler has tallied four goals, 21 assists and 25 points in 71 games with a plus15 rating. In 997 career NHL games, Edler has amassed 434 points (103-331=434). With five more games, Edler can become the sixth Swedish-born defenseman in league history to skate in 1,000 career NHL games, 12th active defenseman, second defenseman from the 2004 NHL Draft class (Alex Goligoski, 1,010 GP) and seventh overall skater from his draft class to reach such mark:
Most games played among Swedish-born defensemen
Player GP
Nicklas Lidstrom 1,564
Borje Salming 1,148
Calle Johansson 1,109
Ulf Samuelsson 1,080
Frederik Olausson 1,022
Alex Edler* 997
Niklas Kronwall 953
*-denotes active player
SHOOTOUT GURU
Forward Trevor Moore scored the game-deciding shootout goal for the LA Kings for the second consecutive game last Saturday, guiding the team to a 3-2 win over the San Jose Sharks. Moore’s shootout goal marked the third of his career in his fourth-ever attempt (75%). All three of his shootout goals have been game-deciding tallies. Moore is one of four players this season with multiple game-deciding shootout goals, joining Montreal’s Kirby Dach (2) and Nick Suzuki (2) and Colorado’s Evan Rodrigues (2).
ARIZONA COYOTES NOTES:
3 HARD LAPS
• Arizona is winless in its last three outings but enter tonight 3-1-1 in its last five home games
• Nick Schmaltz comes into tonight on a 4-game point streak and has 8 pts (2-6-8) in 5 home game since returning from injury
• The Coyotes begin another 3-game homestand tonight, their final home games before the New Year
LAST GAME
Golden Knights 5, Coyotes 2 – December 21, 2022 – T-Mobile Arena
ARI Goals: Valimaki (2), Fischer (6)
VGK Goals: Miromanov (2), Stone (13, 14), Carrier (10), Amadio (2)
ARI Goalie: Vejmelka (L) – 29 svs on 34 shots
VGK Goalie: Thompson (W) – 22 svs on 24 shots
PP: 0-2 PK: 2-4
Notes: Christian Fischer registered a team-high 2 pts (1-1-2), his fourth multi-point game of the season…2022-23 marks the second-highest amount of multi-point games Fischer has tallied in a season (6, 2017-18)…Fischer (6-6-12 in 31 GP) has already surpassed his point and assist total from last season…Nick Schmaltz notched an assist to extend his point streak to 4 games, a season-high for him…Juuso Valimaki netted his second goal of the season and first on the road as a member of the Coyotes…Nick Ritchie, and Travis Boyd also chipped in assists…Boyd reached double-digit helpers for the second straight season and third time in his career…Josh Brown threw six hits, a season-high for him
MAN GAMES LOST (Name/Roster Status/Injury Type/Games Missed/Last Game Played)
Liam O’Brien…Week-to-Week…Upper-Body (3 / 12/16)
Total man games lost: 66 games
Jakob Chychrun (16), Nick Schmaltz (15), Zack Kassian (9), Connor Timmins (9), Andrew Ladd (6), Josh Brown (3), Ben McCartney (3), Juuso Valimaki (1), Lawson Crouse (1)
RECENT TRANSACTIONS
-12/18 – Assigned F Jan Jenik to Tucson (AHL)
-12/17 – Recalled F Jan Jenik from Tucson (AHL)
-12/15 – Assigned D Dysin Mayo to Tucson (AHL)
-12/8 – Loaned F Dylan Guenther to Team Canada for the 2023 WJC
UPCOMING SCHEDULE
DATE TIME (AZ)
OPPONENT VENUE TV RADIO
Tue, Dec 27 7pm vs COL Mullett Arena Bally Sports Arizona Extra ESPN 620
Thur, Dec 29 7pm vs TOR Mullett Arena Bally Sports Arizona 98.7 FM
Sat, Dec 31 3pm at TBL AMALIE Arena Bally Sports Arizona ESPN 620
YOTES & KINGS
-Tonight is the second of three ARI-LAK matchups this season and the only one in Tempe. They’ll play once more at Crypto.com Arena on 2/18
-LAK captured the first meeting 5-3 on 12/1
-Christian Fischer picked up his first career SHG in the December game while Matias Maccelli registered a goal and an assist
-Jakob Chychrun leads all current Coyote skaters in career points (12) against the Kings and is tied for second in goals (5) and assists (7). The blueliner had a 6-game point streak versus LA from 3/3/21 – 5/5/21
-Since the start of 2020-21, Chychrun’s 3 goals vs LAK rank T-2nd among NHL d-men and his 8 pts in that span rank T-6th
-The Kings represent the opponent the Coyotes/Jets franchise have the most games played (245) and wins (120) against in the NHL
- Coyotes franchise vs Kings:
• All-Time: 120-90-25-10
• Home: 65-43-11-5
• Road: 55-47-14-5
• L10: 4-6-0
• STRK: L3
SCORING NOTABLES AGAINST THE KINGS
Jakob Chychrun…5-7-12…24 career GP
Clayton Keller…4-7-11…23 career GP
Shayne Gostisbehere…1-5-6…13 career GP
JJ Moser…0-2-2…3 career GP
Career Leaders
Goals (Bjugstad, 6)… Assists (Chychrun/Keller, 7)…Points (Chychrun, 12)
Career Leaders Among Defensemen
Goals (Chychrun, 5)…Assists (Chychrun, 7)…Points (Chychrun, 12)
KELLER INSTINCT
- Clayton Keller enters tonight among Arizona leaders in goals (12, 2nd), assists (18, 2nd) and points (30, 1st) in 2022-23
- Keller has produced five goals and nine points over 11 December games…Three of those tallies came on 12/11 when he registered the first Coyotes hat trick of the season
- Despite being held off the scoresheet on Wednesday, Keller enters tonight on a run of 8 pts (5-3-8) in his last 7 GP
- Keller notched his 30th point of the campaign with an assist on Monday, which was his 30th game. Since the franchise relocated to Arizona, Keller is the fifth Coyote (eighth instance) to reach 30 points within his first 30 games of a season
- 2022-23 also marks Keller’s sixth consecutive season of reaching the 30-point benchmark. Only Dale Hawerchuk (7) has recorded more 30+ point seasons with the Coyotes/Jets franchise before turning 25 -The winger has been clear of a point per game since 11/18/21, recording 37-50-87 in 82 GP since then. His 1.06 points per game in that span ranks 6th among RW (Min. 50 GP)
IN THE NICK OF TIME
- Nick Schmaltz has begun his season with 5-8-13 in 16 GP and comes into tonight on a 4-game point streak (1-5-6 in that span)
- His 4-game run is his longest of the season. His last 5+ game point streak came during his career-best 7-game run in March of 2022
- All 13 of Schmaltz’s points have come since returning from injury (11/21), which ranks T-1st on the Coyotes since then
- The forward has tallied 2-7-9 in his last 7 GP predating his 4-game point streak
- Schmaltz has found the scoresheet in all five home games this season, producing 2-6-8 at Mullett Arena
- Arizona is 12-3-2 when Schmaltz records a multi-point game since the start of 2021-22…This season in Coyotes wins, he’s registered 2-5-7 in 4 GP
- In his last 82 games (since 4/28/21), Schmaltz has recorded 28-46-74…He’s also registered 28-43-71 in his last 72 GP
- Since his Coyotes debut on 11/27/18, Schmaltz has recorded 54-109-163 in 218 GP. His 0.75 PPG paces the Coyotes since then (min. 50 GP) and his point total trails just Keller in that span
CHYCHA CHYCHA BOOM BOOM
- Jakob Chychrun has posted a 3-10-13 scoring line in 15 games this season. All 13 of his points have come in his last 14 games
- Since 11/23 (his last 14 GP), Chychrun ranks among NHL blueliners in goals (T-6th), assists (T-6th), points (T-5th) and shots (51, 3rd)
- Chychrun has been a point-per-game player since 12/3, producing 2-8-10 in 10 GP
- Chychrun reached 10 assists this year with an assist on Monday, his 14th game. Per NHL Stats & Info, he’s the eighth defenseman (10th instance) in Coyotes/Jets franchise history to require 14 or fewer games in a season to reach 10 assists. Keith Yandle was the last to do it to begin 2014-15
- The seventh-year NHLer enters tonight with 99 career assists. A helper tonight would make him just the ninth defensemen in Coyotes/Jets history to register 50+ goals and 100+ assists with the franchise
- Chychrun extended his home point streak to 5 games on Monday. The last Coyotes defenseman to post a 6+ game home point streak was Oliver Ekman-Larsson from 12/26/15 – 1/14/16
- The only NHL defensemen to register a 6+ home point streak this season are Adam Fox (10), Josh Morrissey and Erik Karlsson (twice)
DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
Shayne Gostisbehere (8-15-23 in 31 GP) enters tonight ranking among NHL d-men leaders in goals (T-4th), points (T-16th), power-play goals (3, T-6th) and even-strength points (14, T-12th) on the campaign
- The blueliner has compiled 9 pts (4-5-9) in his last 10 games, as well as 13 pts (4-9-13) in his last 14 GP (since 11/23)
- Since 11/23, Gostisbehere ranks T-1st among NHL d-men in goals, T-5th in points as well as T-10th in assists
- Gostisbehere (82-211-293 in 494 GP) is closing in on 300 pts and 500 games for his career. He is on track to become the sixth player and second defenseman from the 2012 Draft Class to play in 500+ games and record 300+ points (Filip Forsberg, Tomas Hertl, Morgan Rielly, Teuvo Teravainen, Alex Galchenyuk)
