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Goalie nods: Battle of the backups in L.A., as Coreau faces Zatkoff

Dallas Stars v Los Angeles Kings

LAS VEGAS, NV - OCTOBER 07: Goaltender Jeff Zatkoff #37 of the Los Angeles Kings makes a save during a preseason game against the Dallas Stars at T-Mobile Arena on October 7, 2016 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Dallas won 6-3. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images)

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There could be some offense tonight at Staples.

The visiting Detroit Red Wings, who started and lost with Petr Mrazek in goal in Anaheim last night, will give Jared Coreau his fifth career start when they take on the Kings in L.A.

The Kings, in turn, will counter with little-used backup Jeff Zatkoff, after Peter Budaj beat the Sharks on Tuesday.

Coreau, who’s spent a good chunk of the year in AHL Grand Rapids, is up with Detroit because of an injury to Jimmy Howard. He got a plum gig on Jan. 1 -- earning a start in the Centennial Classic -- but his numbers on the season aren’t very good: 3.43 GAA, and .889 save percentage.

Zatkoff, originally signed to be the Kings’ No. 2 -- only to get hurt and lose the gig to Budaj -- also has pedestrian numbers on the year. He’s 2-5-1 with a 2.83 GAA and .892 save percentage, and hasn’t played since a loss in Dallas on Dec. 23.

Elsewhere...

-- The Oilers are going back to Cam Talbot, after he allowed three goals on 35 shots in a loss to Columbus on Tuesday. Talbot is likely to face Tuukka Rask, who was the first goalie off at Boston’s morning skate.

-- The Blue Jackets will look to match the longest winning streak in NHL history tonight, and will do it with the NHL’s reigning star of the month, Sergei Bobrovsky, in goal. Washington will counter with Braden Holtby, who was hooked from Tuesday’s dramatic comeback OT win over the Leafs.

-- Tampa Bay continues to ride Andrei Vasilevskiy with Ben Bishop out injured. Vasilevskiy hasn’t exactly responded to the challenge, though, posting a .898 save percentage since Big Ben went down. No word yet on a starter for the visiting Predators.

-- Cam Ward, who’s been one of the busiest netminders in the league this year, gets another start for Carolina. The Blues will go with Jake Allen, fresh off a Winter Classic win over Chicago.

-- Anders Nilsson gets back-to-back starts for the Sabres, after stopping 24 of 25 shots in a win over the Rangers on Tuesday. The host Blackhawks will start Corey Crawford.

-- Excellent matchup in San Jose, where the red-hot Devan Dubnyk takes on Martin Jones and the Sharks.