Los Angeles @ Columbus preview

Last Meeting ( Dec 13, 2018 ) Los Angeles 1, Columbus 4

The Los Angeles Kings and Columbus Blue Jackets are making modest strides in their bids to pull themselves up from near the bottom of their respective divisions. The Kings and Blue Jackets will each vie for their third straight victory and and look to extend their point streak to six games at the other's expense on Thursday when they meet in Columbus, Ohio.

Captain Anze Kopitar scored 3:23 into overtime as Los Angeles improved to 4-0-1 in its last five games with a 4-3 victory over Boston on Tuesday. "We just kept playing, kept plugging away and at the end of the day it worked for us," said the 32-year-old Slovene, who has three of his club-best 14 goals in his last two games after mustering two points in his previous nine. While the Kings clawed their way out last place in the Pacific Division, the Blue Jackets find themselves two points shy of sixth place in the Metropolitan after their spirited 3-0-2 run. Cam Atkinson scored his fifth goal in the past seven games in Tuesday's 5-3 win over Detroit while Oliver Bjorkstrand recorded his third tally in two contests.

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

ABOUT THE KINGS (15-18-3): Los Angeles coach Todd McLellan often has been brutally harsh in his assessment of his team this season, but he even acknowledged that its recent determined play has been a welcome sight. "The fact that we have developed some resiliency within the locker room, that's a real good sign, but it doesn't surprise me that it's in there," McLellan said. "It's a trait that's been a part of this organization for a long time, and every now and then it rears its head." Jonathan Quick knows a thing or two about that after suiting up with the club since the 2007-08 season, and his 2.14 goals-against average and .926 save percentage this month is another positive sign for the Kings.

ABOUT THE BLUE JACKETS (14-14-6): Joonas Korpisalo followed up a 30-save performance in Monday's 3-0 victory over Washington by turning aside 18 shots versus Detroit, although he wasn't taxed much in the first two periods. "Playing on back-to-back nights is tough, and it was also hard to stay in the game when they weren't getting any shots," the 25-year-old Finn said after making seven saves over the first 40 minutes against the Red Wings. "It was actually a little easier when they got a few more shots in the third." Korpisalo is expected to return to the crease versus the Los Angeles, against which he struggled in a 5-2 setback on March 1, 2018.

OVERTIME

1. Columbus C Pierre-Luc Dubois (team-leading 11 goals) has four multi-point performances of the season, with two coming in the last three games.

2. Los Angeles RW Tyler Toffoli is riding a five-game point streak (three goals, five assists).

3. Blue Jackets C Alexandre Texier has collected six points (two goals, four assists) in his last six games.

PREDICTION: Blue Jackets 4, Kings 2