SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. -- Friday was a busy day off the ice for the Arizona Coyotes, with New Jersey hedge fund owner Andrew Barroway agreeing to purchase 51 percent of the team to become the primary owner pending approval by the NHL's Board of Governors. But there was work to do on the ice as well after the Coyotes were embarrassed 6-2 Thursday by the Winnipeg Jets, allowing four goals in the first 14 minutes of a nightmarish first period.
Coyotes coach Dave Tippett won't make many cosmetic changes for their game Saturday against the Los Angeles Kings. Rob Klinkhammer will move to a line with Czechs Martin Hanzal and Martin Erat, while David Moss moves down to play with Lauri Korpikoski and Sam Gagner. But the work ethic and goaltending effort of Mike Smith, who struggled mightily against the Jets, needs some serious upgrades with the defending Stanley Cup champions in town.
"Everyone is obviously extremely disappointed with this start and it just goes back to us having to be ready for the next game," Arizona captain Shane Doan said. "It really doesn't matter if you lose 3-2 or 6-2 or whatever it is, it's the next game you have to win and that's where we're at. You just know you have the chance to answer those questions, and you got 81 more games to do it."
The Kings weren't happy with their season-opening effort either. They were shut out 4-0 by the San Jose Sharks on Wednesday, spoiling their banner celebration. But coach Darryl Sutter isn't worried about a Stanley Cup hangover for his playoff-tested team.
"I don't think motivation is an issue at all," Sutter said. "You don't play until late June three years in a row without being motivated, and that continues to motivate you. That old theory about 'once you've won, it's not there anymore,' that's not the case in pro sports, for sure. You know, the toughest part of our guys is getting the emotional level back to where it was. That's the toughest part."
Here are the projected lineups:
KINGS
Marian Gaborik -- Anze Kopitar -- Justin Williams
Tanner Pearson -- Jeff Carter -- Tyler Toffoli
Dwight King -- Jarret Stoll -- Dustin Brown
Kyle Clifford -- Mike Richards -- Jordan Nolan
Brayden McNabb -- Drew Doughty
Scratched: Andy Andreoff
Injured: Trevor Lewis (upper body), Jake Muzzin (undisclosed)
COYOTES
Mikkel Boedker -- Antoine Vermette -- Shane Doan
Rob Klinkhammer -- Martin Hanzal -- Martin Erat
Lauri Korpikoski -- Sam Gagner -- David Moss
Brandon McMillan -- Joe Vitale -- B.J. Crombeen
Oliver Ekman-Larsson -- Zbynek Michalek
Chris Summers -- Connor Murphy
Scratched: Kyle Chipchura, Justin Hodgman, David Schlemko
Injured: None
Status report: Smith is expected to play in his 165th game for the Coyotes. That would tie him with Brian Hayward for fifth place on the franchise's all-time list for games played by a goaltender. … The Coyotes allowed four goals in the first period of their 6-2 loss against the Jets on Thursday. They allowed four goals in a period only two times all of last season. … The Kings lost Lewis to an upper-body injury in their game against the Sharks. He will not play Saturday.
Who's hot: Smith has a career record of 11-4-0-1 against the Kings in the regular season. … Doan turned 38 on Friday. He was the best Arizona player on the ice against the Jets, assisting on Boedker's goal, registering five hits and getting the best of Winnipeg's Blake Wheeler in a first-period fight.