Canucks-Kings Preview

Regular Season Matchup
	W-L-OT	HOME	ROAD	DIV	CONF
VAN	45-27-10	24-12-5	21-15-5	15-6-3	35-21-8
LOS	34-37-11	18-15-8	16-22-3	10-10-4	25-30-9
· Complete Standings

Team Stat Comparison
243	Goals	202
213	Goals Against	226
67	Power Play Goals	69
69	Power Play Goals Allowed	62
7	Shorthanded Goals	4
5	Shorthanded Goals Allowed	8
1351	Penalty Minutes	1207
16	Average Penalty Minutes	15

Goalie Breakdown
	GOALIE	GP	W	TGA	GAA	SO	SV	SV%
	Roberto Luongo	54	33	124	2.34	9	1418	.920
	Curtis Sanford	19	7	42	2.59	1	406	.906
	Jason LaBarbera	9	3	20	2.66	0	215	.915
	Cory Schneider	8	2	20	3.38	0	142	.877
	Jonathan Quick	44	21	103	2.48	4	1097	.914
	Erik Ersberg	28	8	65	2.64	0	586	.900
	Jason LaBarbera	19	5	47	2.83	2	392	.893

Team Stat Leaders
G	Daniel Sedin 31	Alexander Frolov 32
A	Henrik Sedin 60	Anze Kopitar 39
PTS	Henrik Sedin 82	Anze Kopitar 66
PIM	Alexandre Burrows 150	Raitis Ivanans 145
SOG	Daniel Sedin 285	Dustin Brown 292

Home had been the Vancouver Canucks' refuge early this season, but after Tuesday night's game at GM Place, the result was the same as their previous three on the road -- a loss.

The Canucks look to end their recent road woes on Thursday night at Staples Center against the Los Angeles Kings.

Despite scoring 2.67 goals per game while going 2-4-0 during a recent six-game road trip, the Canucks had outscored opponents 12-3 in their first two home games. However, on Tuesday against Boston, Vancouver lost 1-0 as Tim Thomas stopped 31 shots for his second consecutive shutout overall and second in as many career starts against the Canucks.

"At the end of the day, our top offensive players have to find a way to score goals," Canucks coach Alain Vigneault said.

Alex Burrows and Mason Raymond were each denied a team-high five times for Vancouver (4-5-0), currently last in the Northwest Division.

"We all believe we can score and put pucks in the back of the net," said Raymond, who, along with Burrows, is one of four with a team-leading three goals. "I think we played pretty well defensively and it was a tight-checking game. They play that trap and it was tight-checking, but goals are going to come."

The Canucks hope the goals will come soon for Daniel Sedin. He scored two in a 5-4 overtime win on Oct. 11 against the Flames, but has none in seven games since.

Though he failed to score in any of four games against the Kings in 2007-08, Sedin led Vancouver with 29 goals.

Roberto Luongo allowed a first-period goal to Michael Ryder, and finished with 29 saves against Boston. Luongo -- who has a 3.00 GAA in eight starts this season -- has given up just five goals while winning his last three games in Los Angeles.

Playing the opener of a season-high seven-game homestand, the Kings (3-4-1) fell 4-3 in a shootout to Detroit. The defending Stanley Cup champions tied the game with 1:54 left as Valtteri Filppula snapped a shot past Jason LaBarbera off a misplaced clearing pass from Denis Gauthier.

"It's a play that you would like to have back and do over again," Kings coach Terry Murray said. "You're trying to do the right thing on the breakout and find the center ice man. But there was a mistake, unfortunately, and it ended up being a goal that gives them all kinds of life."

After the Kings were outshot 37-19, Murray made a number of moves on Wednesday. Kyle Calder, who scored his first goal of the season on Monday, drops to the second line, while left winger Patrick O'Sullivan, who has three goals and three assists, will play on the top line with Dustin Brown and Anze Kopitar.

Brown and Kopitar are tied for the team lead with seven points.

"We have a lot of chemistry and have been successful together," O'Sullivan, who had 22 goals and 31 assists in 2007-08, told the Kings' official Web site. "It is something we can go back to. I am excited. They are the top guys on this team and we are close off the ice as well. It should be fun tomorrow."

Ryan Kesler, who leads the Canucks with six assists and nine points this season, scored the game-winner in the last meeting as visiting Vancouver posted a 2-1 overtime victory on March 10. The Canucks have won six of their past nine in Los Angeles.