Los Angeles @ Vegas preview

Last Meeting ( Jan 9, 2020 ) Los Angeles 5, Vegas 2

The Vegas Golden Knights have created separation atop the Pacific Division on the heels of a franchise record-tying winning streak and have a chance to pad their advantage with a pair of last-place clubs on deck. The red-hot Golden Knights vie for their ninth consecutive victory when they resume a four-game homestand against the Los Angeles Kings on Sunday night.

Vegas made it eight straight wins overall and seven in a row at home with a 4-2 victory over Buffalo on Friday night to finish 10-2-1 in February - the second-best month in club history. “It was a make-or-break month,” said coach Peter DeBoer, who has guided the team to a 12-3-2 mark since replacing Gerard Gallant. “I think coming out of the All-Star break, I don’t think there was any doubt February was going to define our season. I thought the guys really dug deep.” While the Golden Knights own a 26-point cushion over cellar-dwelling Los Angeles in the division, the Kings have more than held their own in the season series by winning the last two meetings by a combined 9-5, including a 5-2 victory at T-Mobile Arena on Jan. 9. Los Angeles improved to 5-2-1 in its last eight following Saturday's 2-1 overtime victory over New Jersey and is seeking its first three-game winning streak since mid-November.

TIME: 10:30 p.m. ET. TV: NBC Sports Network

ABOUT THE KINGS (24-35-6): Adrian Kempe picked an opportune time to halt an 18-game goal drought, delivering the decisive tally in overtime for his eighth career game-winner and first tally since scoring twice against Vegas on Jan. 9. "I haven't scored in a while so it was time to shoot again," said Kempe, who has two goals and four points in three meetings against the Golden Knights this season. Backup Calvin Petersen is expected to make his sixth start and hopes to build off his 35-save effort in Wednesday's 2-1 win over Pittsburgh.

ABOUT THE GOLDEN KNIGHTS (36-22-8): Marc-Andre Fleury watched newcomer Robin Lehner take the net Friday, but the three-time Stanley Cup winner has sparked Vegas' surge with a 5-0-0 record, 1.60 goals-against average and .942 save percentage in his last five starts. Reilly Smith scored twice in Friday's win to give him six goals over his last seven games while establishing a career high of 27. “I play with great linemates, and they give me a lot of opportunities,” Smith told reporters. “Just seems like the puck is going in a little more.”

OVERTIME

1. Fleury, tied with Turk Broda for 17th on the all-time list with 61 shutouts, made 36 saves to win his lone start versus Los Angeles his season.

2. Kings C Anze Kopitar, who has 10 points in eight games, needs one assist to reach 40 for the 11th time.

3. The Golden Knights did not practice Saturday so there were no updates on leading scorer RW Mark Stone (lower body) or F Tomas Nosek, who was hurt Friday.

PREDICTION: Golden Knights 4, Kings 2