In a highly anticipated matchup, the Los Angeles Kings (23-10-5) are set to face the Winnipeg Jets (28-12-2) on Friday, January 10, at 5:00 PM Pacific time at the Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles. Fans can follow the game live on the Fan Duel Sports Network and the ESPN LA App, or via Twitter at @dooleylak and @lakings.

The Kings are embarking on a five-game road trip starting with tonight's face-off against the Central Division-leading Jets. Their previous encounter in November saw the Kings dominate with a decisive 4-1 victory. In that game, forwards Adrian Kempe and Anze Kopitar each contributed with a goal and an assist, while Alex Laferriere tallied two assists. Kopitar boasts impressive stats against the Jets, accumulating 38 points (17 goals and 21 assists) in 35 career games, showcasing his prowess with a scoring average of 1.09 points per game against them.

Kings’ Lineup and Player Updates

The Kings held an optional morning skate ahead of the game, with goaltender Darcy Kuemper absent but confirmed as the expected starter. Kuemper comes into the game with a solid career record of 6-2-0 against the Jets, sporting a .917 save percentage and a 3.00 goals-against average.

The team's recent practice lines looked as follows: - Turcotte – Kopitar – Kempe - Foegele – Byfield – Jeannot - Fiala – Danault – Laferriere - Moore – Helenius – Lewis – Thomas

On defense, the pairings included Anderson – Gavrikov and (Edmundson) – Clarke, with Moverare – Spence and Englund – Burroughs completing the rotation.

Defenseman Joel Edmundson, who left the last game against Tampa Bay after a collision, has shown progress and participated in practice wearing a full-contact jersey, but his availability for tonight remains uncertain. Meanwhile, veteran defenseman Kyle Burroughs is expected to return after missing the previous game for the birth of his son.

If Edmundson cannot play, the Kings might opt for an 11/7 alignment, keeping Andreas Englund in the lineup, or switch to a 12/6 setup, involving Samuel Helenius.

Jets’ Lineup and Key Players

The Jets are currently in the midst of an eight-game homestand, with a record of 1-1-1 over their last three meetings. The Kings will face three former players—Gabriel Vilardi, Alex Iafallo, and Rasmus Kupari—who are expected to make an impact against their former team. Notably, Vilardi has recorded five points (2-3-5) in four games against the Kings.

Emotional Motivation: Playing for Los Angeles

As the Kings prepare for the game, their thoughts are firmly with the community back home in Los Angeles, which is grappling with devastating fires. The team will wear LAFD (Los Angeles Fire Department) stickers on their helmets in solidarity and support.

"We’re thankful for all the women and men fighting the fire right now," forward Phillip Danault expressed. "We’re trying to support them the only way we can really."

Head coach Jim Hiller reaffirmed this sentiment, emphasizing the team's intention to keep the spirits of their community uplifted despite being away. The players recognize the emotional strain of witnessing friends and family affected by the fires, with Anze Kopitar noting that this kind of situation is unprecedented in his 20 years in Los Angeles.

Trevor Moore, a native of California, shared, "I open my Instagram and I see lots of people who I grew up with who lost family homes... it’s tough." The emotional weight is palpable, but the players are determined to channel this into their performance, hoping to distract their fans back home for a few hours.

The Kings have set up a donation portal to assist those impacted by the fire, contributing to organizations such as The Red Cross and Cal Fire Foundation.

Three Takeaways for Tonight's Game

1. **Focus on the First Period**: Coach Hiller believes that the opening frame will be critical to gauge the team’s readiness and focus amidst the external pressures. A strong start could help ease the distraction caused by current events back home.

2. **Building on Recent Performance**: The Kings edged out a win against Tampa Bay despite lackluster performance metrics, raising questions about consistency. However, the team's culture is evolving, and their recent mindset emphasizes finding ways to win.

3. **Emerging Stars**: The Kings have shown promising development in young players like Alex Turcotte, who made key plays to break the scoring drought in crucial situations. His confidence has significantly grown, influencing the overall performance of the team.

Conclusion

As the Kings enter this game against the Jets, they are not just playing for victory on the ice; they aspire to uplift the spirits of their fans back in Los Angeles, proving that community and resilience can shine through even in the midst of adversity.