Los Angeles @ Pittsburgh preview

Last Meeting ( Feb 15, 2018 ) Los Angeles 1, Pittsburgh 3

The Los Angeles Kings attempt to salvage the finale of their road trip and halt a five-game slide away from home on Saturday, when they visit the Pittsburgh Penguins. Los Angeles has gone 0-2-1 on its four-game trek after dropping a 4-1 decision in Columbus on Thursday.

Dustin Brown gave the Kings an early lead against the Blue Jackets with his team-leading ninth goal, but the club was unable to muster any more offense as it lost for the fifth time in six overall contests. Pittsburgh posted its third straight home victory and fourth in six overall contests on Friday - a 5-3 triumph over Boston. Jake Guentzel snapped a tie midway through the third period while Zach Aston-Reese scored two goals to double his season total and set up another for the Penguins, who carried a 3-1 lead into the final session and were outshot 51-28 overall. Captain Sidney Crosby notched a pair of assists to forge a three-way tie for the team lead in points (34) with Phil Kessel (goal against the Bruins) and Evgeni Malkin (assist).

TV: 7 p.m. ET, NHL Network, FS West (Los Angeles), AT&T SportsNet Pittsburgh

ABOUT THE KINGS (11-20-2): Brown's goal on Thursday ended his seven-game drought and moved him ahead of captain Anze Kopitar, who tops the club with 20 points. The 31-year-old Kopitar has scored just once in his last 10 contests and is two tallies shy of 300 for his career. Jeff Carter (11) and Ilya Kovalchuk, who hasn't played since Nov 29 due to an ankle injury, have 21 20-goal seasons between them but have combined for only 11 tallies over Los Angeles' first 33 games.

ABOUT THE PENGUINS (14-11-6): Pittsburgh hopes to have Kris Letang in the lineup against Los Angeles after the defenseman exited Friday's contest late in the third period following a collision with Boston's Joakim Nordstrom. The 31-year-old Letang notched an assist before leaving for his first point in four games. Kessel's goal versus the Kings was his 13th of the campaign, putting him two behind Crosby for the team lead.

OVERTIME

1. Guentzel has recorded two goals in nine games since registering his first career hat trick on Nov. 24 against Columbus.

2. Four of Carter's six tallies this season have come on the power play.

3. Pittsburgh LW Tanner Pearson has posted five points (three goals) in 15 contests since being acquired on Nov. 14 from Los Angeles for LW Carl Hagelin, who notched two assists in five games with his new team before suffering a sprained MCL.

PREDICTION: Penguins 4, Kings 3