Los Angeles @ Carolina preview

Last Meeting ( Dec 2, 2018 ) Carolina 0, Los Angeles 2

The Carolina Hurricanes continue to push for their first playoff berth in 10 seasons when they host the struggling Los Angeles Kings on Tuesday. Carolina is tied with Pittsburgh for the final wild-card spot in the Eastern Conference - six points ahead of 10th-place Buffalo - after Saturday's 3-0 victory over Dallas improved its record to 9-3-0 since the All-Star break.

"This has been about as good as it gets right now," Hurricanes goaltender Curtis McElhinney told reporters Saturday after making 24 saves. "It's been a lot of fun playing the second half here, especially after the break." McElhinney and Petr Mrazek have combined to allow only 21 goals in the last 12 games while Carolina's offense has responded with 39 tallies during that span. Los Angeles lost 4-3 in a shootout at NHL-best Tampa Bay on Monday for its eighth straight setback (0-5-3) - its longest skid since 2007-08 - and owns the worst record in the Western Conference, with its 53 points only better league-wide than Ottawa (49). The Hurricanes were quiet at the NHL trade deadline while the Kings dealt defenseman Oscar Fantenberg to Calgary on Monday after previously trading blue-liner Jake Muzzin and forwards Carl Hagelin and Nate Thompson, and own 10 picks in June's draft - including a pair of first-rounders.

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

ABOUT THE KINGS (23-32-7): Alex Iafallo (27 points) scored his 14th goal of the season Monday, moving him into second place on the club behind captain Anze Kopitar (17 goals, team-high 44 points). Jonny Brodzinski made his 2018-19 debut after suffering a shoulder injury during the preseason and scored his fifth career goal while playing 10 minutes, 9 seconds in his 42nd NHL game. Jonathan Quick (11-16-5, 3.18 goals-against average, .896 save percentage) is expected to be in the crease as he tries to improve his career-worst GAA and SP after Jack Campbell made 31 saves against Tampa Bay.

ABOUT THE HURRICANES (33-23-6): Sebastian Aho (team-high 24 goals) recorded his club-best 69th point Saturday and has notched seven assists in his last seven games but hasn't tallied in 10 contests. Teuvo Teravainen (17 goals, 55 points) has collected six goals and 12 points in his last 11 games after recording an assist versus Dallas. Captain Justin Williams (17 goals) played with a full cage on Saturday after scoring two goals - one on a deflection off his face - in Thursday's 4-3 victory at Florida.

OVERTIME

1. Aho has posted a club-best plus-23 rating while Teravainen and D Brett Pesce (16 points) are plus-22.

2. Los Angeles prevailed in the first of two meetings this season, recording a 2-0 victory on Dec. 2 behind 34 saves from Quick.

3. The Hurricanes have gone 26-for-29 on the penalty kill over their last 10 games while the Kings are 8-for-14 in their last four contests.

PREDICTION: Hurricanes 3, Kings 2