Blues expect heavy-hitting affair vs. Kings

ST. LOUIS - Heavy. Physical. Hard-hitting.
Those are three ways to describe what to expect when the St. Louis Blues and Los Angeles Kings meet tonight at 7 p.m. at Scottrade Center (FSMW, KMOX).
"You've got to prepare knowing it's exactly that - it's going to be physical, it's going to be a hard-fought game," captain Alex Pietrangelo said. "It's always tough to come by goals when you play these guys."

In the last four games between these teams, the Blues and Kings have combined for 55 hits. This season, the Blues are a middle-of-the-pack team in hits, ranking 14th overall with 146. Instead, they're focused on using a speed game. The Kings, meanwhile, have maintained their heavy-style.
"I love playing the Kings," forward Ryan Reaves said. "It's become quite the rivalry since the playoff series a couple years ago. I know they're missing (Milan) Lucic, but they're still big and still physical. They like to get in on the forecheck just like we do… it's always going to be a battle and I'd expect nothing less this year."
"I think if you look at speed and the guys we have, we might be small and a little bit lighter, but we play the game big," Pietrangelo added. "A lot of guys play the game bigger than they actually are, which is what you need in tonight's game. (The Kings) are a little bit heavier, a little bit bigger, but we play the game as hard as they do."