Los Angeles @ Arizona preview

Last Meeting ( Sep 17, 2019 ) Arizona 5, Los Angeles 0

The Arizona Coyotes opened a stretch in which they play seven of eight games against Pacific Division rivals by demonstrating both skill and sandpaper in their last contest. The Coyotes look to provide more of the same on Monday when they continue their three-game homestand versus the Los Angeles Kings.

Darcy Kuemper highlighted his 37-save performance in Arizona's 3-0 victory over Calgary by slamming Matthew Tkachuk to the ice, setting off a melee in the second period. "You never want to see Kuemps get in a fight. But his initiative to do that added a lot to our team, the whole bench got juiced up after that," said Coyotes coach Rick Tocchet, who was known to get into a tussle or two during his playing career. Los Angeles defenseman Drew Doughty likely cracked a smile after seeing pesky rival Tkachuk taken down a peg, but he probably enjoyed seeing Jeff Carter score the winning goal in his 1,000th NHL game a bit more on Saturday. "I just felt like that was just going to happen," the former Norris Trophy recipient said after Carter scored in the Kings' 4-3 win versus Vegas. "Jeff's a goal scorer and has scored big goals like that his whole career, so I don't think anyone is too shocked in here."

TV: 9 p.m. ET, FS West, FS Arizona Plus

ABOUT THE KINGS (8-11-1): Los Angeles has answered a three-game winless skid (0-2-1) with three straight victories, and captain Anze Kopitar has dented the scoresheet in all six of them (three goals, six assists). The 32-year-old Kopitar leads the team in goals (seven), assists (15) and points (22) this season, although he mustered just two assists in four games against the Coyotes in 2018-19. Fellow forward Alex Iafallo has also turned it up of late, as he enters Monday's tilt riding four-game assist and point streaks (one goal, four assists).

ABOUT THE COYOTES (12-7-2): Defenseman Jason Demers knows the value of Arizona's upcoming stretch against Pacific foes, with the second-place Coyotes being separated by just five points from seventh in the division. "You have to win these games," the 31-year-old Demers told reporters. "They're four-point swings, and it's a pretty big log-jam right now in the Pacific, a lot of teams are doing well. We've got to keep banking points." Nick Schmaltz leads the team in assists (12) and points (16), although just five and six, respectively, have been collected at home.

OVERTIME

1. Carter has recorded just one of his eight points on the road this season.

2. Arizona is mired in a 1-for-26 rut on the power play in its last eight contests.

3. Kings G Jonathan Quick has turned aside 74 of 80 shots during his three-game winning streak.

PREDICTION: Coyotes 3, Kings 2