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NHL on NBCSN: Kings look to end losing streak vs. Ducks

Drew Doughty, Adam Henrique, Hampus Lindholm

Los Angeles Kings defenseman Drew Doughty, center, dives to clear the puck out of the zone as Anaheim Ducks center Adam Henrique, left, and defenseman Hampus Lindholm, of Sweden, watch during the third period of an NHL hockey game in Los Angeles, Saturday, Jan. 13, 2018. The Ducks won 4-2. (AP Photo/Alex Gallardo)

AP

NBCSN’s coverage of the 2017-18 NHL season continues on Friday night, as the Los Angeles Kings and Anaheim Ducks meet at Honda Center at 10 p.m. ET. You can stream the game by clicking here.

A five-game losing streak has knocked the Kings out of the Western Conference playoff picture. Currently, they sit just on the outside of a wild card spot due to a tiebreaker and one point behind the Calgary Flames for the third spot in the Pacific Division. The Ducks are not far behind with 51 points as they prepare for the second game of a five-game homestand.

Back tonight for the Ducks will be Andrew Cogliano, who was suspended two games for a hit on Adrian Kempe when the teams met on Saturday night. The ban ended Cogliano’s consecutive games streak at 830. As expected, it was a feisty evening, with three fights in the first period.
[WATCH KINGS-DUCKS LIVE AT 10PM ET]

Friday night will be Adam Henrique’s 22nd game with the Ducks, and he’s familiar with the rivalry theme having been a part of many games between the New Jersey Devils and New York Rangers.

“Those games, they always have a little extra,” Henrique said via the Orange County Register. “You circle them on the calendar. It’s that playoff-type atmosphere from the fans, on the ice. And it’s always ramped up to another level. It’s always something you got to be prepared for but it’s always the fun games to play in.”

The game is a big for LA, who has not only lost five straight but seven of their last nine games. Penalties did them in in Thursday night’s 3-1 loss to the Pittsburgh Penguins, but head coach John Stevens felt his team took a big step toward getting out of this current funk. One question will be whether Dustin Brown will play after his game misconduct for boarding Justin Schultz in the third period. The Department of Player Safety could see it as that was punishment enough. (UPDATE: Brown will have a hearing on Friday.)

Whether Brown plays or watches from the press box, he tried to get a message across to his teammates postgame.

“If you’re not frustrated, there’s something wrong with you,” Brown said via the LA Times. “But we’re just trying to channel that frustration into positive energy that you can use to win games, because there’s going to be ups and downs, and you’ve got to find a way to dig yourself out.”

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Sean Leahy is a writer for Pro Hockey Talk on NBC Sports. Drop him a line at phtblog@nbcsports.com or follow him on Twitter @Sean_Leahy.