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Sharks hope to build off win in opener, face Kings

Oct 11, 2008 - 10:04 AM Los Angeles (0-0-0) at San Jose (1-0-0), 10:00 pm EDT

SAN JOSE, California (Ticker) -- Todd McLellan has the opportunity to earn his first winning streak as a head coach.

After notching a convincing victory in the first-year coach's debut, the San Jose Sharks will look for more success when they host the Los Angeles Kings on Saturday.

Jonathan Cheechoo scored two goals and Evgeni Nabokov made 26 saves in the Sharks' 4-1 triumph over the Anaheim Ducks on Thursday, making McLellan the third coach in franchise history - joining Jim Wiley and Ron Wilson.- to win his first game behind the bench.

Los Angeles, which is 17-14-9 in its regular season openers, hopes to get off on the right foot this campaign after 2007-08 went decidedly wrong.

The Kings have finished in the basement of the Pacific Division each of the last two seasons and, under new coach Terry Murray, are destined for a last-place finish again unless they can improve their league-worst penalty kill.

One of the lone bright spots on the young team is center Anze Kopitar. The 21-year-old had a breakthrough campaign in his second NHL season, recording 32 goals and 45 assists to lead the team in scoring. The All-Star was also joined by a couple of other budding young stars in Alexander Frolov and the 23-year-old captain Dustin Brown, who led the club with 33 goals.

Newly acquired Jarret Stoll should contribute on the offensive end, too. The 26-year-old recorded 14 goals and 22 assists last season as a member of the Edmonton Oilers.

Defenseman Drew Doughty - the second overall pick in the June draft - is expected to make his NHL debut on Saturday. He will team with former third-overall pick Jack Johnson to help a blue line that ranked third-worst in goals allowed per game (3.21) last season.

Los Angeles plays 11 of its first 14 contests at home this season, including a seven-game homestand from October 30 to November 11.