12-20 Preview – Copley Expected In Net + Third Line Makeup, Air Jordan, Freeway Faceoff

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• News post

• Zach Dooley

Following a rare stretch with two days in between games, the Kings are back at it this evening against the Anaheim Ducks, the first Freeway Faceoff of the season.

• Pheonix Copley
• Viktor Arvidsson
• Blake Lizotte
• Alex Edler
• Jordan Spence

• Todd McLellan

# Todd McLellan

That third line needs to get solidified, that’s what it needs to do, whether we discover who that third-line center is, whether we get consistent wingers. We feel that one, two and four will probably shake out the way they need to be, but a lot of times in the playoffs and down the stretch, you win based on what the third line can do, that’s where you get your mismatch from. It needs to get solidified at some point.

We’re trying to figure them out. Arthur is a big body that can shoot, [Viktor Arvidsson] and [Blake Lizotte] are puck hounds, they have the ability to turn pucks over and keep plays alive with speed and tenacity. That’s our train of thought there, so they need some time to figure each other out, but we’re hoping that it leads to something.

I thought [Jordan Spence] was fine, he did exactly what he needed to do. He moved pucks, he shot it when he had the opportunity, he defended well. As Trent Yawney would say, he wasn’t at the scene of the crime very often defensively. He played a good game.

Same preparation for our staff and it should be the same preparation for the players. There’s no need to look at the standings and increase or decrease your preparation. If you have a routine, standings should not affect it and they’re our rival, this is not going to be an easy game. If anybody expects it to be, shame on them, because it will show up tonight.

The pre-scout is important – Teams have tendencies, teams change over time, there are strengths and weaknesses occurring for both teams right now that we need to take advantage of. I think that we have to give our players that information to try and help them succeed.

# Viktor Arvidsson

I don’t change my game at any point, I just try to play it and do the best I can with my abilities. Of course they’re different players, different attributes and the first game playing with them last game, I was just trying to make plays and see what they’re doing. A little different, but it’ll just take some time to find some chemistry.

# Alex Edler

I think we saw how [Jordan Spence] played last year, he’s a smart player. He’s not big, but he still goes into battles and wins them. He’s proving to be a really good defenseman up here.

I don’t think you can play any other way. You’re always trying to create offense, whether that’s for yourself or for your teammates, but you can’t be you can’t be giving up things to do it.