This game has a sluggish aspect to it with a rare 1 p.m. West Coast starting time for a Kings home game.

The Kings just finished road games against the Wild and Blackhawks with a Thursday night game in Chicago. LA is not going to be helped by this early start time. Neither is Carolina. The Hurricanes just got past the Sharks in San Jose this past Thursday night.

Both teams are in excellent defensive form.

The Hurricanes haven't permitted more than two goals in each of their last eight games. They are giving up an average of only 1.2 goals a game during this stretch.

The Kings have been just as stingy recently allowing only five goals during their past five games.