• Preview
• Recap
• Bleachers
• Game Tracker

Canucks visit Kings at Staples Center

Nov 10, 2011 - 4:49 PM (Sports Network) - The Canucks may be having some issues scoring 5-on-5, but they showed in their last game just how dangerous their power play still is.

Vancouver hopes to move above .500 on its current road trip as it visits the Los Angeles Kings, who try to win consecutive games for the first time in nearly three weeks this evening at Staples Center.

The league's highest-scoring team a season ago, the Canucks currently rank in the middle of the pack in even strength goals, but still possess the second- best power play in the NHL at 26.4 percent. That number got a big boost on Sunday in a 6-2 victory over Chicago, with Vancouver scoring five times on the man advantage.

Henrik Sedin led the offense with a goal and three assists, while brother Daniel had a goal and two helpers. David Booth, Aaron Rome and Dan Hamhuis all scored with the man advantage as the Canucks moved to 2-2 on a six-game road trip that ends in Anaheim on Friday.

"We haven't been good enough 5-on-5 to win games," said Henrik Sedin. "But if we play good 5-on-5, our special teams will take care of us most games. It did tonight."

Roberto Luongo made 38 saves to earn the win, which featured the first goals of the season by Booth and Rome. Booth also tallied his first goal in a Vancouver uniform, while Rome scored in his first game of the season after returning from a broken hand.

"We played a great game," Luongo said. "Obviously the boys got up for this one. It was a big game for us."

Defenseman Sami Salo missed his third game in a row with a sore groin, while Alexandre Burrows also missed Sunday's big win with back spasms. Both players are doubtful for this game.

The Kings play host to the Canucks two days after snapping an 0-3-2 skid with a win over the Predators. Simon Gagne was one of four different goal scorers and Jonathan Bernier made 27 saves in his first start since Oct. 25, turning aside 13 shots in the third period of a 4-3 victory.

Defenseman Alec Martinez and Drew Doughty both scored their first goals of the season in the first period and Mike Richards added a goal in the opener of a four-game homestand. Jarret Stoll had two assists to reach the 300-point mark for his career.

"It was an important win for us," said Doughty. "We really had to come out of that losing skid. We weren't happy with the way we were playing throughout that time and to finally get the win tonight was huge."

The Kings moved to 62-0-3 in their last 65 games when leading after two periods and tonight will try to win two straight for the first time since a four-game win streak from Oct. 15-22.

The Canucks went 2-1-1 in their four meetings with the Kings last year and have won seven of the past 10 meetings overall. Their 3-1 victory in the last encounter at Staples Center on March 5 snapped a two-game series road losing streak.