Marco Sturm, now the Bruins' head coach, returns to Los Angeles where he previously coached as an assistant for the Kings and head coach for the Ontario Reign.
Tanner Jeannot also returns to LA, where he played 67 games last season before signing with Boston.
Jeremy Swayman is starting in goal for Boston, while Darcy Kuemper will start for the Kings.
The Kings’ penalty kill has improved, moving into the top half of the NHL rankings.
Morgan Geekie is tied for second in the NHL with 14 goals.
Marco Sturm's return to Los Angeles adds an emotional layer to the game. Sturm spent seven years with the Kings organization and is now facing his former team as the Bruins' head coach.
Matěj Blümel is expected to be on the first line for the Bruins, while Riley Tufte reenters the lineup. For the Kings, Andrei Kuzmenko returns to the lineup after being a healthy scratch.
Jeremy Swayman will start in net for Boston. Darcy Kuemper, who has a .921 save percentage and a 1.86 goals-against average in November, starts for the Kings.
The Kings' penalty kill has shown significant improvement, driven by fewer penalties and better execution. New players like Cody Ceci and Brian Dumoulin have become effective penalty killers.
The Bruins have scored 71 goals and allowed 73, while the Kings have scored 58 and allowed 57. Boston's power play is at 27.4%, while Los Angeles is at 15.4%.
Q: Who is starting in goal for the Bruins?
Jeremy Swayman is starting in goal for the Boston Bruins.
Q: What is Marco Sturm's connection to the Kings?
Marco Sturm was an assistant coach for the Kings from 2018 to 2022 and head coach of their AHL affiliate, the Ontario Reign, from 2022 to 2025.
Q: What is the Kings' record on the second half of back-to-back games?
The Kings have historically performed well on the second half of back-to-backs, ranking inside the Top-7 in the NHL in points percentage in three of the last four seasons.
This game is significant due to Marco Sturm's return to LA and the ongoing adjustments within both teams. The Bruins aim to rebound from their recent loss, while the Kings look to capitalize on their improved penalty kill. Keep an eye on the goaltending matchup between Swayman and Kuemper.
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