With 14 games left in the regular season, the Vancouver Canucks are three points behind front-runner Minnesota in the contentious Northwest Division.
But if not for their poor play against lowly Los Angeles this season, the Canucks, who are fourth in the Northwest, could be in first place.
Vancouver Canucks goalie Roberto Luongo has 30 wins on the season.
(Richard Lam/Canadian Press)
Vancouver will try to avoid being swept in a season series by the Kings for the first time in 27 years when the teams meet Monday night in Los Angeles.
Vancouver, with a 34-24-10 record, is fighting for its playoff life. The club is tied with Nashville for the eighth and final playoff berth in the Western Conference with 78 points. The Canucks also trail Minnesota (81 points), and Calgary and Colorado (80 points) in the Northwest.
Los Angeles, meanwhile, is last in the 30-team NHL with 59 points, and will likely miss the playoffs for the fifth straight campaign.
Yet, despite their poor record, the Kings have owned the Canucks this season, winning all three games by a combined score of 12-7.
If the Kings can win Monday night, it will mark the first time since the 1980-81 campaign that they have swept the Canucks in a season series.
Vancouver enters Monday's tilt in Hollywood with a bit of momentum after winning their last two games, including a 4-2 victory over St. Louis on Saturday night.
Brad Isbister's goal with 4:12 remaining in regulation snapped a tie game and propelled the Canucks to the win.
Alex Burrows and Mattias Ohlund — returning quicker than expected from a wonky knee — also scored for the Canucks, and Henrik Sedin's empty-netter sealed the win with 4.5 seconds left.
Burrows also set up the winner, cutting to the net to draw the attention of Blues goalie Manny Legace before flipping a backhand pass to Isbister at the side of the crease.
"Pretty confident out there," said Burrows, whose 11 goals this season are one more than he managed his first two seasons combined.
"Even [coach] Alain [Vigneault] yelled my name on the power play there. I wasn't sure what was going on. But it's all right. I like my role on the checking line and if we can keep winning game, I'll be happy."
Canucks loving Luongo
Goalie Roberto Luongo came up big, making 23 saves to record 30 wins for the third straight season.
"We know what's at stake and we got a big two points," said Luongo. "Everybody is stepping up in this dressing room."
Ohlund suited up despite having bone chips in his knee that kept him out of Thursday's 6-2 win over Nashville and Friday's practice. Canucks officials had even feared the defenceman might require season-ending surgery.
Ohlund, 31, originally planned to rest for four to six days, but said doctors told him he would not risk further injury if he played. They advised him to test his knee and see how it felt first.
"I feel fine. I wouldn't be out there otherwise," Ohlund told Hockey Night in Canada. "It's something I have to deal with, hopefully at the end of the year. But it's not a big deal. Everybody has bruises and bumps this time of year."
With files from Canadian Press
