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Kings-Oilers Preview

Dec 15, 2009 - 7:24 AM By JEFF MEZYDLO STATS Senior Writer

Los Angeles (21-11-3) at Edmonton (15-13-4), 9:30 p.m. EDT

It's been almost a month since the Los Angeles Kings lost consecutive games in regulation. Preventing that from happening could be a challenge against the surging Edmonton Oilers.

With their four-game winning streak over, the Kings look to bounce back Tuesday night when they visit the Oilers, winners of a season-high five in a row.

Alexander Frolov scored his ninth goal, but Los Angeles (21-11-3) opened its four-game road trip with a 3-1 loss at Vancouver on Monday night.

"You can't play against good hockey clubs without the intensity," Kings coach Terry Murray said. "We didn't jump up to the intensity level of the game."

One of the league's early surprises, the Kings are tied with San Jose for first place in the Pacific Division. Los Angeles was 7-0-1 before Monday's loss since losing 4-1 at Vancouver on Nov. 26. The Kings haven't dropped back-to-back contests in regulation since Nov. 18 and 21.

While the Kings are 11-7-1 on the road and have won three in a row at Edmonton, the Oilers (15-13-4) are in the midst of their best stretch of the season. They return home after beating St. Louis 5-3 on Friday to conclude a 5-1-0 road trip.

Frolov scored and Wayne Simmonds added a goal with an assist in Los Angeles' 3-1 win at Edmonton on the Nov. 25.

Frolov has a goal in each of his last two games and three with two assists in his last four against the Oilers. Simmonds, though, is out after undergoing surgery Monday to clean up cartilage damage in his left knee.

Los Angeles' Jon Quick made 25 saves to fall to 19-10-3 with a 2.61 goals-against average. Quick could be back in net looking to improve on his 2-0-1 mark with a 1.31 GAA versus Edmonton.

Backup Erik Ersberg was pulled after allowing three goals on 13 shots in his only appearance against Edmonton, a 5-4 shootout loss on Dec. 5, 2008.

The Oilers, who scored 21 goals on their recent trip, are 8-5-2 at home but have lost two in a row there.

"To win five in a row is obviously a pretty good feeling but with the position we're in, we can't really rest on our laurels at this point," forward Sam Gagner told the Oilers' official Web site. "We've got to continue to push forward. The first game of the homestead is going to be a big one for us, so we're excited for the challenge and will hopefully get off to a good start."

Dustin Penner had a goal with three assists Friday for the Oilers, who overcame a 3-0 deficit by scoring four third-period goals at St. Louis.

Penner has a team-leading 18 goals to already surpass his total from last season (17). He has one in each of his last three games and five in the last seven. Penner has seven goals and eight assists in 19 games versus the Kings, but none in his last two.

Edmonton's Jeff Deslauriers made 37 saves Friday in place of the injured Nikolai Khabibulin to improve to 8-4-2 with a 2.60 GAA this season. Deslauriers made 32 saves in his only appearance against the Kings last month.