KINGS (4-5-0) at BLUES (4-2-3) 8 p.m. ET; FS-MW, FS-W, NHL.TV
The Kings, who started the trip with a 3-2 win against the Winnipeg Jets on Tuesday, have won two straight after a three-game losing streak in which they scored two goals and were shut out twice. Los Angeles will play the Minnesota Wild on Saturday and Chicago Blackhawks on Sunday. Blues forward Sammy Blais will not play because of a thumb injury. St. Louis concludes a four-game homestand; the Blues are 1-1-1 after a 3-1 win against the Colorado Avalanche on Monday.
Players to watch
Kings center Anze Kopitar has two goals in his past two games and needs two points for 900 in the NHL; he has 48 points (15 goals, 33 assists) in 45 games against St. Louis. Blues forward Vladimir Tarasenko has eight points (three goals, five assists) in a five-game point streak; he has 19 points (10 goals, nine assists) in 20 games against Los Angeles.
They said it
"This game comes at a good time for us because I think we're starting to put some things in place, and you may as well test it against the best." -- Kings coach Todd McLellan "It's never an easy game against them, but we've played them well over the last couple years. Every team's playing good now. Every team's good now and there's parity. There's no off nights now." -- Blues defenseman Alex Pietrangelo on the Kings
Quick will start for the third straight game. ... Sanford will play left wing in place of Blais, who is day-to-day and could return against the Boston Bruins on Saturday, Blues coach Craig Berube said. ... Gunnarsson, who missed the past two games with a lower-body injury, is available but likely will be a healthy scratch.
Stat pack
Quick has a 1.50 goals-against average and .942 save percentage in his past two starts. ... Schenn has nine points (six goals, three assists) in his past eight games. ... Schwartz has five points (one goal, four assists) in a five-game point streak.
