Lightning at Kings preview

LIGHTNING (29-15-5) at KINGS (18-27-5)
10 p.m. ET; NBCSN

The defenseman, who has not practiced since leaving practice early on Sunday because of an undisclosed injury and did not participate in an optional morning skate Wednesday, had not missed a game since the start of the 2014-15 season. It is the longest games played streak in Kings history and was the fifth-longest active streak in the NHL.
Los Angeles which is 0-3-1 in its past four games and 3-9-2 in its past 14 games, has not played since Jan. 18 because of the League-mandated five-day break and the 2020 Honda NHL All-Star Weekend. This is its first home game since a 2-1 loss to the Dallas Stars on Jan. 8.
The Lightning, second in the Atlantic Division, are 2-2-1 in their past five games following a 10-game winning streak. Tampa Bay is 5-0-0 against the Pacific Division this season and has a 10-game point streak (9-0-1) against Pacific Division teams.

Players to watch

Lightning forward Steven Stamkos has six points (three goals, three assists) in a four-game point streak.
Kings forward Dustin Brown has three points (two goals, one assist) in a three-game point streak.

They said it

"I don't even know what to say. It's just one of those times when you're doing good against some divisions. … Hopefully the streak continues." -- Lightning forward Nikita Kucherov
"I always feel like we're on the losing end of a 3-2 game. If we can find a way to earn one more goal, whether it's on the power play or a nice 3-on-2 play, and to take one of theirs away … then we'll be on the winning end of a lot of those games." -- Kings defenseman Ben Hutton

Lightning projected lineup

Steven Stamkos -- Brayden Point -- Nikita Kucherov
Ondrej Palat -- Anthony Cirelli -- Tyler Johnson
Pat Maroon -- Cedric Paquette -- Alex Killorn
Carter Verhaeghe -- Mitchell Stephens -- Yanni Gourde
Victor Hedman -- Jan Rutta
Ryan McDonagh -- Erik Cernak
Mikhail Sergachev -- Kevin Shattenkirk
Andrei Vasilevskiy
Curtis McElhinney
Scratched: Braydon Coburn, Luke Schenn
Injured: None

Kings projected lineup

Alex Iafallo -- Anze Kopitar -- Dustin Brown
Adrian Kempe -- Blake Lizotte -- Austin Wagner
Nikolai Prokhorkin -- Jeff Carter -- Tyler Toffoli
Kyle Clifford -- Michael Amadio -- Trevor Lewis
Alec Martinez -- Joakim RyanSean Walker -- Ben Hutton
Kurtis MacDermid -- Matt Roy
Jonathan Quick
Jack Campbell
Scratched:Derek Forbort, Matt Luff
Injured: Drew Doughty (undisclosed)

Status report

Vasilevskiy is expected to start after not participating in an optional skate Wednesday. … Stamkos will play after being held out of practice Tuesday for maintenance, Tampa Bay coach Jon Cooper said. … Ryan was activated from injured reserve on Wednesday after missing 10 games because of a lower-body injury. … Lizotte will return after missing five games because of a lower-body injury.

Stat pack

Doughty has 494 points (116 goals, 378 assists) in 902 NHL games and is tied with Rob Blake (161 goals, 333 assists in 805 games) for most points by a defenseman in Kings history. … Kucherov has seven points (five goals, two assists) in a four-game point streak. ... The four players with longer active games-played streaks than Doughty are Keith Yandle (846), Patrick Marleau (835), Phil Kessel (825) and Brent Burns (522).