EL SEGUNDO, Calif. -- The Los Angeles Kings have been barreling through to Christmas with nine wins in 10 games, but they see room for improvement going into the finale of their homestand Monday against the Dallas Stars.
The Kings have been shorthanded 144 times, the third-most in the NHL behind the Ottawa Senators and Philadelphia Flyers. They paid for it Saturday when they allowed two power-play goals for the first time since Nov. 2.
"You can't continue to keep doing that throughout entire season," defenseman Robyn Regehr said. "We need to be more disciplined that way, and when we do get those penalties we have to kill them."
Regehr also said that the defensemen can be better around the net cutting passes off and preventing the opposition's playmakers from getting time and space.
"When we're really on our game you see a very aggressive team," Regehr said. "When the puck comes in our zone we're really aggressive. There's guys backing one another up and we get that puck back quickly and away we go. We don't allow teams to come into our zone and switch sides and cycle and use the back of the net."
Here are the expected lineups for the Stars and Kings:
STARS
Jamie Benn - Tyler Seguin - Valeri Nichushkin
Antoine Roussel - Cody Eakin - Ryan Garbutt
Erik Cole - Rich Peverley - Colton Sceviour
Shawn Horcoff - Vernon Fiddler - Ray Whitney
Alex Goligoski - Brenden Dillon
Kevin Connauton - Cameron Gaunce
Scratched: Dustin Jeffrey
Injured: Alex Chiasson (flu), Sergei Gonchar (concussion symptoms), Stephane Robidas (leg), Trevor Daley (ankle), Aaron Rome (lower body)
KINGS
Dwight King - Anze Kopitar - Jeff Carter
Dustin Brown - Jarret Stoll - Justin Williams
Trevor Lewis - Mike Richards - Tyler Toffoli
Kyle Clifford - Colin Fraser - Jordan Nolan
Scratched: Matt Frattin, Daniel Carcillo
Injured: Jonathan Quick (groin), Willie Mitchell (upper body)
Notes: Jones will attempt to join Ray Emery as the only goalies to win the first nine decisions of their NHL career.
The Kings did not do line rushes and Brown was not on the ice. Coach Darryl Sutter was not available.
Mitchell stayed out for extra work and likely will return sometime during the Kings' post-break road trip.