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Isles aim to end lengthy slide against mighty Kings

Nov 13, 2010 - 5:48 PM (Sports Network) - The New York Islanders have lost nine straight games and will try to end that slide tonight in Los Angeles against a Kings team that has yet to lose at the Staples Center this season.

The Islanders are 0-8-1 since posting their last win over Tampa Bay on October 21, but New York did record its first point of the skid with Thursday's shootout loss in San Jose. New York hasn't lost 10 straight since going 0-9-1 from December 4-23, 2008.

After starting the season with a surprising 4-1-2 record, the Islanders are now tied for last in the NHL with just 11 points on the year.

The Kings, meanwhile, enter tonight as the top team in the West with 22 points this season. Los Angeles is also in the midst of its longest winning streak of the year, posting victories in each of its last five games.

LA was also last in action on Thursday, when the Kings improved to 7-0-0 at home this season with a triumph over the Dallas Stars. Justin Williams and Jack Johnson scored in the third period to lead the Kings to the 3-1 decision at the Staples Center. Jonathan Quick turned aside 27-of-28 shots for Los Angeles

Dustin Brown also lit the lamp for the Kings, who can set a new club mark for most consecutive wins at home to start a season tonight. The 1975-76 and 1980-81 teams both had 7-0-0 starts at home..

"No team is coming in here not expecting to have a hard game," Brown said. "They're coming in here with their best because they know we've been good, especially in the standings. We're not going to catch anyone by surprise this year."

Williams enters tonight with an eight-game point streak intact for the Kings. He has five goals and five assists during the run, while Jarret Stoll has notched two goals and five helpers over his five-game streak.

The Kings are completing a five-game homestand tonight and will play five of their next six contests away from the City of Angels.

The Islanders, meanwhile, dropped a 2-1 decision Thursday in San Jose and Scott Gordon's club has now gone over three weeks since their last win. Logan Couture scored the winner in the shootout for the Sharks, while all three New York shooters missed in the decisive phase.

Couture opened the shootout by slipping a backhander between the pads of Dwayne Roloson. P.A. Parenteau then shot high before Joe Pavelski was stopped. Antero Niittymaki made a beautiful glove snare of a Frans Nielsen high backhander before Dan Boyle sealed the win as he lifted a backhander past Roloson.

Parenteau netted a goal and Roloson stopped 37 shots in the loss for the Islanders, who are completing a three-game road trip tonight. New York has lost its last seven road tilts and is 2-7-2 away from Long Island this season.

"At least we got a point, so I guess that's a positive, but close doesn't cut it anymore," Roloson told New York's web site. "We've got to take the step as a team to do whatever it takes to win a hockey game. We have to stop the bleeding now. I can't worry about anything other than what I do and that's trying to give our guys a chance to win."

Roloson has started the last four games for the Isles and could get the call over Rick DiPietro again tonight. Despite his 2-6-1 record, Roloson has played well this season, posting a .924 save percentage and 2.10 goals-against average. DiPietro, meanwhile, is 2-3-3 with a .854 save percentage and 4.21 GAA.

After closing out their trip tonight, New York is set to play five of its next six games on home ice.

The Islanders lost both of their games against LA last year and the Kings are 5-0-0 with a tie in the last six encounters between the clubs. New York has dropped four of six and nine of its last 12 games in Los Angeles.