While the hockey world seems to be stuck on Jakob Chychrun watch, the Kings and Coyotes each have games tonight in separate cities.
For LA, they’ll be taking on a Buffalo Sabres team that has lost three straight games and will be on the front end of a three-game trek through California, with additional stops in Anaheim and San Jose later this week.
When the Kings visited Buffalo in December, they lost 6-0, in a game where the Sabres scored all six of their goals over the final 20 minutes.
“It was a very strange game the last time we played them,” coach Todd McLellan said when asked about the rematch. “We thought we played really well for two periods and then we don’t know what happened, it just went away. So, we’ll have some things to fix.”
Thoughts on Potential Jakob Chychrun Trade to Los Angeles Kings
McLellan isn’t expected to make any lineup changes for tonight’s game. Trevor Moore and Arthur Kaliyev worked their way back into action on Saturday night. They remain in place, while Gabe Vilardi and Carl Grundstrom aren’t quite ready to go just yet; although the former is pretty close.
Defenseman Jacob Moverare was returned to AHL Ontario on Sunday and the Kings have yet to recall an extra player. Thus, they may go with just 22 skaters tonight.
LA Kings Projected Lineup vs. Buffalo Sabres
Byfield – Kopitar – Kempe
Moore – Danault – Arvidsson
Fiala – Lizotte – Iafallo
JAD – Kupari – Kaliyev
Anderson – Doughty
Durzi – Roy
Edler – Walker
Copley
Quick
Likely Scratches: Lemieux
Injured, although not on IR: Vilardi (back skating, still week-to-week)
Injured Reserve: Grundstrom (Jan. 19)
Additional Game Info
Puck drop is set for 7:30 pm PST and will be televised by Bally Sports.
In their last game played, the Sabres were drilled 7-2 on home ice by the Flames on Saturday.
Here’s how they lined up today:
Sabres’ lines and pairs at the morning skate:
Skinner-Cozens-Tuch
Mittelstadt-Thompson-Okposo
Asplund-Jost-Olofsson
Girgensons-Krebs-QuinnDahlin-Samuelsson
Power-Jokiharju
Clague-Lyubushkin
Extras were Bryson and Peterka— Lance Lysowski (@LLysowski) February 13, 2023
In talking to Sabres reporter Joe Yerdon, he notes those projected lines are a sizable shake-up among their top-6. JJ Peterka is also coming out for the first time in a while too. Their “kid line” has been going through a little rough patch — apart from Dylan Cozens — so one of them sitting isn’t a big surprise.
Additionally, good to see former Kings prospect Kale Clague sliding into action on the Buffalo blueliner. He really wanted to make it work in Los Angeles when he was part of the franchise — as he discussed here.
Former Ontario Reign (ECHL)!coach Jason Christie now serves as one of Buffalo’s assistant coaches.
RELATED CONTENT:
Dustin Brown Interview After Jersey Retirement and Statue Reveal
Lineup image created by ALo Images
Note to webmasters/reporters: When recapping news or interviews from this site please remember to include a link to www.MayorsManor.com