Kings defenseman Drew Doughty comes into tonight’s game $2,500 lighter in the wallet – while some complain that isn’t much for a guy who signed a $56-million contract a few months ago, it is the maximum allowable under the current Collective Bargaining Agreement.
LA will be facing what should be an angry Dallas team. Not only are the a division rival, the Kings have already beat them twice this season and the Stars had lost five straight before managing a 4-1 win on Monday night over the Oilers.
Prior to leaving for the trip, Doughty talked about the dangers of playing a team as hungry as the Stars…
“I wouldn’t say it worries you. But, at the same time, when we go in there, we have to be expecting their best. They’re going to come out hard in the first period. They need a win, so they’re going to do everything they can – they’re going to be blocking shots, they’re going to be doing it all. That should also make us a little more hungry when they’re coming hard at us. That will just make us push back harder and make us play a better game.”
The two played so far between these teams have turned out pretty well for the Kings. First, there was a 1-0 shutout in LA, the third straight shutout by Jonathan Quick. Then, the following week, the Kings defeated the Stars 5-3, on the strength of two Slava Voynov‘s first two NHL goals.
Voynov will be paired with Matt Greene tonight and Doughty will be with Rob Scuderi, thus ending the short-lived Doughty-Jack Johnson duo (something Doughty spoke about here).
Finally, tonight is the final time the Kings will wear their ‘alternate’ jerseys – black with the crown on the front – on the road this season.
The pucks drops at 5:30pm PST.
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