Ducks' Allen game-time decision against Kings

ANAHEIM -- The Anaheim Ducks could use all the big bodies they have against the Los Angeles Kings, and they might not have one of their biggest on the blue line Tuesday night.

Defenseman Bryan Allen did not skate in the morning, although coach Bruce Boudreau said Allen remains a game-time decision with a lower-body injury.

"He'll take warm-up, and we'll see," Boudreau said.

If Allen (6-foot-5, 224 pounds) can't go, Anaheim can insert Nolan Yonkman or Alex Grant, who became the first defenseman in Ducks history to score a goal in his NHL debut on Nov. 30 against the San Jose Sharks.

One big body who will definitely play is Dustin Penner. It will be his first game against his former team since he signed with Anaheim in July. Penner has become the poster boy for the rivalry, having won the Stanley Cup with each side. This latest game comes during Penner's remarkable comeback season in which he is tied for second in the NHL with a plus-17 rating.

"I've just got to continue to improve on what I've built from Day One here," Penner said. "Hopefully I can have a game where I can score two goals or something, but the most important thing is getting a win, especially on home ice against a division rival."

This is the best combined record the teams have had in series history (113 games), 35-14-8.

Boudreau watched the Kings beat the St. Louis Blues on Monday and little surprised him. L.A. has held opponents to two or fewer goals in a team-record 13 straight games.

"You have to play a perfect game," Boudreau said. "They're big. They can skate. They've got scoring. Their special teams are good, and their goaltending -- whoever's in the net -- has been out of this world. To beat the Kings, you have to have a lot of things going for you. No. 1 is your effort has to be superior because they very, very rarely get outworked. That's something you have to put your mindset to."

Boudreau went so far as to say that the Kings would have won a second straight Stanley Cup if they weren't so banged up last season. A former coach for Los Angeles' American Hockey League affiliate, Boudreau has embraced the rivalry.

"The one thing I'd like not to notice is to see as many Kings fans get in our building as they do, but I'm hoping over time that that dissipates into all Ducks fans," he said.

Here are the projected lineups:

KINGS

Dwight King – Anze Kopitar – Jeff Carter

Dustin Brown – Jarret Stoll – Justin Williams

Jordan Nolan – Mike Richards – Tyler Toffoli

Kyle Clifford – Colin Fraser – Matt Frattin

Jake Muzzin – Drew Doughty

Robyn Regehr – Slava Voynov

Willie Mitchell – Alec Martinez

Ben Scrivens

Martin Jones

Scratched: Daniel Carcillo, Linden Vey, Jeff Schultz

Injured: Matt Greene (upper body), Trevor Lewis (lower body) Jonathan Quick (groin)

Notes: Scrivens will make his second set of back-to-back starts this season. He allowed two goals total in wins against the New York Islanders and New York Rangers on Nov. 14-15.

Schultz was recalled Tuesday after Regehr left the game briefly in the first period Monday. Coach Darryl Sutter told reporters Regehr was available at the morning skate.

Sutter changed his lines Monday. He might want more speed against the Ducks, and Vey would be a better fit in that regard than Fraser.

DUCKS

Dustin Penner – Ryan Getzlaf – Corey Perry

Kyle Palmieri – Mathieu Perreault – Teemu Selanne

Daniel Winnik – Saku Koivu – Andrew Cogliano

Matt Beleskey – Nick Bonino – Tim Jackman

Cam Fowler – Ben Lovejoy

Hampus Lindholm – Alex Grant

Mark Fistric – Sami Vatanen

Jonas Hiller

Frederik Andersen

Scratched: Nolan Yonkman, Patrick Maroon

Injured: Francois Beauchemin (upper body), Viktor Fasth (muscle inflammation), Luca Sbisa (hand), Sheldon Souray (wrist), Jakob Silfverberg (hand), Bryan Allen (lower body)

Notes: If Boudreau opts for more size against the Kings, he could put in Maroon. Beauchemin is not yet skating with the team.