Game Preview: Gavrikov In, Korpisalo Out As The Columbus Blue Jackets Take On The Los Angeles Kings Thursday Night

LOS ANGELES KINGS
39-20-9 (87 points; .640%) ROSTER / SCHEDULE
10:30 P.M. – THURSDAY, MARCH 16 CRYPTO.COM ARENA LOS ANGELES, CA
TELEVISION: Bally Sports Ohio ESPN+ (Out of Market)
PROJECTIONS:
ODDS OF CBJ WIN PER MONEYPUCK: 27%
ODDS OF CBJ WIN PER THE 538: 28%
CAESAR'S SPORTSBOOK: LA -305

For those who want to see Joonas Korpisalo battle the only other team he's ever played for, it'll have to wait.

Korpisalo is not expected to start for the Los Angeles Kings on Thursday night when they host the Columbus Blue Jackets, with Kings head coach Todd McLellan saying he doesn't want to deviate from the rotation of the former Blue Jackets netminder and Pheonix Copley

“We discussed it and we don’t think we need to change what we’re doing," said McLellan when asked if they would flip the rotation to allow Korpi to start against Columbus.

But one familiar face will go up against his former club Thursday. Vladislav Gavrikov has four points in his first six games with his new club, averaging 19:32 of ice time per night with the Kings. 

Here's what else to know for Thursday night's game between Los Angeles and Columbus:

TALKING POINTS: KINGS

• It would make sense that McLellan may not want to rock the boat with the rotation. The Kings are 5-0-1 since the trade for Gavrikov and Korpisalo, and the combination of Korpi and Copley have allowed just 12 goals in those six games. If it ain't broke...
   
• Korpisalo has been great for Los Angeles, though. The Kings are 3-0-0 in his three starts with the club, and Korpi's stopped 78 of 84 shots for a .929 save percentage. He's allowed two goals in each of those three starts, proving that he is a valuable asset to a Kings team that hopes to make a deep postseason run.
   
• In addition to four points in six games, Gavrikov's blue line play — the main purpose for his acquisition, of course — has been stellar. Most of his team on ice has been spent paired along Matt Roy, and in 76 minutes together, the duo have been on the ice for just one opposition goal, while the Kings have seven in that time span. The sample size is small, but the early returns are very positive.
   
• Los Angeles is a bit of an enigma. A win Thursday would give them twice as many wins (40) as losses (20), but with an average of 3.34 goals per game and an opposition average of 3.25, their goal margin is a razor-thin +0.09. There's one other team in the league with the same 87 points the Kings have accumulated this season: the Dallas Stars. Their goal margin? +0.75. Winning Thursday would tie Los Angeles with the Toronto Maple Leafs for the fifth-most points in the league. Toronto's goal margin? +0.72. The two teams closest to the Kings' +0.09? The 16th-ranked Pittsburgh Penguins (+0.07) and the 19th-ranked Washington Capitals (+0.11). 
   
• The Kings have been getting it down with their veterans all season long. Each of their six skaters with the most points are at least 26 years old, with 35-year-old Anze Kopitar second on the team in both goals (25) and points (62). 

TALKING POINTS: CBJ

• How will Johnny Gaudreau follow up his third career five-point game? The first-year Blue Jacket has 62 points, nearly bringing him back to his point-a-game pace. It would take a three-point night against Los Angeles to even up the points and games at 65 a piece. 
   
• Columbus has a power play goal in six consecutive games. It's the longest streak of the season, and equals last season's season-high when they scored on the man-advantage in each of the last six games of the season. A 7th straight game with a power play tally Thursday would equal the Blue Jackets longest streak since the 2014-15 season. 
   
• Rule of Fives? Columbus has allowed five goals in four straight games. The Kings have five goals in two of their last three games. 

PROJECTED CBJ LINES
Updated: 7:05 a.m. // Subject to Change