Los Angeles @ San Jose preview

Last Meeting ( Oct 5, 2018 ) San Jose 3, Los Angeles 2

The Los Angeles Kings could use any help they can get on the road these days, and they just may receive some when they visit the San Jose Sharks on Saturday afternoon. Ilya Kovalchuk, who has missed 10 games with an ankle injury, is expected to return to the lineup as the Kings attempt to halt their six-game slide (0-4-2) away from home.

Kovalchuk has been a disappointment in his first season back in the NHL after spending the previous five in the Kontinental Hockey League in his native Russia. The 35-year-old former Maurice Richard Trophy winner, who is a nine-time 30-goal scorer and eclipsed the 40-goal mark on six occasions - including two 52-tally seasons, has recorded only five goals and nine assists in 25 games with Los Angeles. Kovalchuk will be looking to halt his 11-game point drought should he play against the Sharks, who began their four-game homestand Thursday by having their season-high five-game winning streak snapped with a 5-3 loss to Winnipeg. Evander Kane registered a goal and an assist for the second time in three games for San Jose, which had gone 5-0-1 in its previous six at SAP Center.

TV: 4 p.m. ET, NBC Sports Network, Sportsnet One, Sportsnet East, Sportsnet West, Sportsnet Pacific

ABOUT THE KINGS (12-20-3): Rookie Austin Wagner registered his first career two-goal performance in Tuesday's 4-1 home triumph over Winnipeg, which ended Los Angeles' four-game slide (0-2-2). The 21-year-old left wing, who was a fourth-round pick in the 2015 draft, had gone 12 contests without a tally after scoring his first NHL goal on Nov. 21 against Colorado. Alex Iafallo, who has tallied in back-to-back contests, collected two goals and four assists during his current career-high five-game point streak.

ABOUT THE SHARKS (19-12-5): Joe Thornton notched his 1,040th career assist in the setback against the Jets, tying him with Marcel Dionne for 10th place on the all-time list. The 39-year-old former Hart Trophy winner is nine away from matching the legendary Gordie Howe for ninth in league history. Joonas Donskoi scored on Thursday to end his 13-game goal-scoring drought and reach 100 points in the NHL.

OVERTIME

1. Sharks D Erik Karlsson is riding a seven-game assist streak during which he has set up eight tallies, but has gone 13 contests without a goal.

2. Los Angeles captain C Anze Kopitar, who leads the team with 22 points, is two goals shy of 300 for his career.

3. San Jose captain C Joe Pavelski scored his 22nd goal in his 36th game on Thursday, matching the amount he totaled in 82 contests last season.

PREDICTION: Sharks 4, Kings 1