Game Preview: Los Angeles Kings host Ottawa Senators

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - JANUARY 10: Chris Tierney #71 of the Ottawa Senators slides along the boards to avoid Alec Martinez #27 of the Los Angeles Kings during the third period in a 4-1 Senators win at Staples Center on January 10, 2019 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - JANUARY 10: Chris Tierney #71 of the Ottawa Senators slides along the boards to avoid Alec Martinez #27 of the Los Angeles Kings during the third period in a 4-1 Senators win at Staples Center on January 10, 2019 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – JANUARY 10: Chris Tierney #71 of the Ottawa Senators slides along the boards to avoid Alec Martinez #27 of the Los Angeles Kings during the third period in a 4-1 Senators win at Staples Center on January 10, 2019 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – JANUARY 10: Chris Tierney #71 of the Ottawa Senators slides along the boards to avoid Alec Martinez #27 of the Los Angeles Kings during the third period in a 4-1 Senators win at Staples Center on January 10, 2019 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)

The Ottawa Senators will play the Los Angeles Kings for the second and final time this season. Their last meeting ended in a 3-2 decision in overtime for the Ottawa Senators.

Both of these teams are well out of the playoff picture and are thinking more of what pick they’ll get in this year’s draft. This game going to be a loser-actually-wins scenario as both teams are in the hunt for the first overall pick.

Their special teams are remarkably similar Ottawa’s power play is 31st at 14.3%, while LA is at 26th at 16.9%. In terms of penalty killing, they are pretty even with the Sens at 28th at 76.1%, and LA is at 26th with 77.1%.

Los Angeles will be playing without centre Jeff Carter, while Ottawa will be without Mark Borowiecki, Anders Nilsson and Artem Anisimov.

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The latter has been playing well in recent weeks until he got injured. Anisimov matched his goal total from last season with 15 on the year.

This is the third game of a five-game road trip for the Ottawa Senators. Although they are out in California travel wasn’t too hard from Anaheim to Los Angeles, it’s only an hour’s drive between the cities.

Down the homestretch, the Senators should be aiming for a good effort every night, but don’t win in the final score. Alexis Lafreniere is much too valuable to squander away.

Craig Anderson is likely going to be tending twine for the Sens, and Cal Peterson will be in net for the Kings.

This should be a fun game even though both teams’ drive to win will be questioned. Often when you have a game between two teams way out of the playoff race this late in the season, you can have players who aren’t under pressure try moves that they wouldn’t try normally.

Thus ensuing a more fun atmosphere to bring the fans out and into the home teams barn.

The game will start at 10:30 Est in Staples Center in downtown Los Angeles.