Kings and Maple Leafs Face Off: Projected Lineups for Tonight's Game
The Los Angeles Kings are set to clash with the Toronto Maple Leafs tonight at Scotiabank Arena in what promises to be an exciting matchup. Puck drop is scheduled for 7 p.m. ET, and fans can catch the action on SNO and FDSNW.
Kings' Projected Lineup
The Kings (8-5-4) are coming off a dominant 5-1 victory over the Montreal Canadiens and are looking to continue their strong road form. Here’s how they are expected to line up:
- Forwards: Joel Armia — Anze Kopitar — Adrian Kempe; Kevin Fiala — Quinton Byfield — Alex Laferriere; Warren Foegele — Phillip Danault — Trevor Moore; Jeff Malott — Alex Turcotte — Corey Perry.
- Defense: Mikey Anderson — Drew Doughty; Joel Edmundson — Brandt Clarke; Brian Dumoulin — Cody Ceci.
- Goaltenders: Darcy Kuemper is expected to start, with Anton Forsberg as the backup.
Andrei Kuzmenko will likely be a healthy scratch, with Jeff Malott taking his place in the lineup. According to reports, the Kings have been shuffling their lines, so Warren Foegele is expected to rejoin Phillip Danault and Trevor Moore on the ice tonight.
Maple Leafs' Projected Lineup
The Maple Leafs (8-8-1) are currently on a three-game losing streak and are dealing with key injuries. Auston Matthews is out with a lower-body injury and is expected to miss a week, while Chris Tanev is sidelined with an upper-body injury. Anthony Stolarz is also day to day with an upper-body injury. Here’s how the Maple Leafs are projected to line up:
- Forwards: Matthew Knies — John Tavares — William Nylander; Nicholas Robertson — Max Domi — Bobby McMann; Dakota Joshua — Nicolas Roy — Matias Maccelli; Sammy Blais — Steven Lorentz — Calle Jarnkrok.
- Defense: Morgan Rielly — Brandon Carlo; Simon Benoit — Jake McCabe; Dakota Mermis — Oliver Ekman-Larsson.
- Goaltenders: Dennis Hildeby is expected to start, with Artur Akhtyamov backing him up.
Akhtyamov was recalled from the Toronto Marlies of the AHL to back up Hildeby, with Stolarz unavailable. Scott Laughton is on injured reserve, retroactive to Saturday.
Keys to the Game
The Kings' depth and defensive structure will be key to their success against a struggling Maple Leafs team missing key players. Phillip Danault has historically performed well against the Maple Leafs, with six points in his career against them since joining the Kings. The Maple Leafs need to address their defensive breakdowns, having allowed an average of 3.82 goals per game. William Nylander and John Tavares will need to lead the charge offensively for Toronto.
Additional Information
- Cody Ceci, Joel Edmundson, and Trevor Moore will be playing against their former team.
- Darcy Kuemper has a career record of 3-5-0 against Toronto, with a .887 save percentage and a 3.01 goals-against average.
Prediction
Expect the Kings to control the pace early and withstand a late push from the Maple Leafs.
