Lightning look to pick up two points vs the Kings

The Lightning will make stop number two of their California roadtrip, with a matchup against the LA Kings on Saturday. They currently sit in the first wild card spot, just 8 points back from Toronto, but have played four fewer games.

Victor Hedman was a participant in morning skate on Saturday, which is great news for the Lightning. The team's captain and top defenseman left midway through the third period against San Jose on Thursday night, after taking a puck to the side of his head. He skated off the ice holding his ear.

Having Hedman back in lineup will be an added boost for Tampa Bay. He's is a key component to their defensive core and skates on the Lightning’s top power play unit. If he is not ready to play, Darren Raddysh will likely slot into Hedman's spot on the power play.

“We're going to turn the page on these last couple games here, and understand we're playing a team that's only lost two games in this building," Jon Cooper told reporters after morning skate. "It's a tough task, but discipline for us, and I'm not just saying on a penalty aspect, I'm saying in how we play our game, is going to be imperative for us.”

In their last ten meetings, the Lightning have gotten the better of the Kings, going 8-2-0. The Kings enter tonight's game with a 13-2-1 record at Crypto.com Arena, and are coming off a 3-0 shutout win over the New Jersey Devils. The Lightning are 9-7-1 on the road this season.

“They just don't give you much," said Cooper. "They don’t give up odd man rushes, and so you have to match them. You have to play a disciplined game as well, so that's what we look to do tonight.”

Only the Colorado Avalanche have created more shots off of the rush than the Kings have, so the Lightning are going to have to be on their A-game. Puck drop is 9PM EST.

Here's a look at the lines from Thursday's game

Forwards
Jake Guentzel - Brayden Point - Nikita Kucherov
Brandon Hagel - Anthony Cirelli - Conor Geekie
Gage Goncalves - Nick Paul - Mitchell Chaffee
Zemgus Girgensons - Luke Glendening - Mikey Eyssimont

Defensemen
Victor Hedman - Darren Raddysh
Ryan McDonagh - Erik Cernak
Emil Lilleberg - Nick Perbix

Goaltenders
Andrei Vasilevskiy