Los Angeles @ Detroit preview

Last Meeting ( Nov 14, 2019 ) Detroit 2, Los Angeles 3

The Detroit Red Wings have answered a 12-game losing streak with a pair of victories and can match their season-high winning streak when they host the Los Angeles Kings on Sunday in a battle of last-place teams in each conference. The Red Wings went 0-10-2 during their frustrating run, but knocked off Winnipeg 5-2 on Thursday and received 42 saves from Jonathan Bernier in Saturday’s 2-1 triumph at Montreal.

“Obviously we went through an extremely difficult stretch there, but I find that the last four or five games we played really well,” Bernier told reporters. “We just had some bad bounces that ended up in the net. The last two games, we’ve had luck, and sometimes that’s what it takes to get things going.” Detroit got two key players back from injuries Saturday as Andreas Athanasiou had an assist while Anthony Mantha (team-high 12 goals) registered one shot in the victory and the duo will be needed against Los Angeles, which can gain a point for the season-high fourth straight game. The Kings rallied with two goals in the last five minutes to tie the game before losing at Pittsburgh 5-4 in a shootout after giving up two goals combined in a pair of victories. “I think everybody stuck in it. …,” Kings forward Kyle Clifford told reporters. “They knew it was going to be a grind. I thought we played well enough to win. It was unfortunate, and we have to get ready for (Sunday) night.”

TV: 7 p.m. ET, FS West (Los Angeles), FS Detroit

ABOUT THE KINGS (13-18-3): Right wing Tyler Toffoli has caught fire with two points in each of the last three games (two goals) after scoring once and setting up another in Saturday’s setback. Captain Anze Kopitar, who leads the team with 11 goals and 29 points, has cooled off while managing points in one of his last nine games as he remains one point behind Wayne Gretzky (918) for fourth on the team’s all-time scoring list. Former Norris Trophy-winning defenseman Drew Doughty is second on the team with 22 points after recording a goal and four assists with a plus-3 rating in his past five contests.

ABOUT THE RED WINGS (9-22-3): Forward Tyler Bertuzzi scored his 11th goal Saturday to push his team-leading total to 26 points - three more than Mantha, who missed eight games with a lower-body injury before his return against Montreal. Defenseman Mike Green scored his first power-play goal of the season (62nd of his career) Saturday for the game winner and registered a pair of points for the first time this season. Madison Bowey also returned to the lineup after being recalled with fellow defensemen Jonathan Ericsson out because of an undisclosed injury and Dylan McIlrath sent to AHL Grand Rapids.

OVERTIME

1. Kopitar had three points, including an assist on Alex Iafallo’s overtime goal as the Kings beat the Red Wings 3-2 on Nov. 14.

2. Detroit F Robby Fabbri was kept off the scoresheet Saturday, but has five goals and two assists in his past seven games.

3. Doughty is five points behind Hall of Famer Rob Blake (494) for the most by a defenseman in Kings history.

PREDICTION: Kings 3, Red Wings 2