The Tampa Bay Lightning and LA Kings are playing live on the NHL schedule in Los Angeles and the game starts at 10:30 pm ET as the best team in the league takes on the champs, who have not played all that great since winning the Stanley Cup and it will be at the STAPLES Center on Monday night.
The Lightning come into the game after a win on the road against the San Jose Sharks and they will continue their California tour with the Ducks next. The Lightning have been one of the best teams in the league this season and it comes after they signed Ryan Callahan and made some other strong moves this offseason and it has paid off in a big way. The team scored five goals against the Sharks and they are ranked first in the league in scoring this season.
The Lightning come in ranked in the top half of the league in goals against and they are in first place in the Atlantic division with 76 points. Tyler Johnson is leading the Lightning in scoring with points and assists, while Steven Stamkos is tops in goals. Jeff Carter is tops in points for the Kings, while Tyler Toffoli is tops in goals. The Kings are looking to keep things going, as they have won four straight games and they need to turn things around to get into solid playoff position.
The Kings have gone a while since a winning streak this long and they are looking to push into the standings, as they are 10th in the western conference. Stamkos has 30 goals this season and the team has been averaging over three goals per game. Jonathan Quick has been playing much better in recent weeks and he is 4-1 over the last five starts against Tampa Bay.
The Kings come into the game at fifth in the Pacific division and they last won against the Washington Capitals. The team next plays against the Colorado Avalanche on the road and that comes after the matchup at Staples Center. The Kings have 62 points and 25 wins on the season and they are ranked 17th in the league in scoring this season in goals per game. The Kings won the Stanley Cup over the Rangers last year and the two teams are playing a bit different now, but NY sure wishes they had that Cup at least. The Rangers are challenging for the top of their division and the east, as they won over the Islanders in a thrilling game after going down 2-0 and winning 6-5 in Long Island at Nassau.
Check here for the Tampa Bay Lightning and LA Kings live coverage.
