Los Angeles Kings (0-1-0) at Arizona Coyotes (0-1-0), 9 p.m. (ET)
(SportsNetwork.com) - The Los Angeles Kings didn't get their title defense off to the best of starts and hope to rebound on Saturday night when they visit the Arizona Coyotes.
The Kings raised their Stanley Cup banner prior to Wednesday's opener against the San Jose Sharks, who they rallied to beat in the opening round last season after falling behind three games to none in the series, but were then shut out 4-0 in the rematch.
Jonathan Quick made 23 saves through two periods before getting pulled in favor of Martin Jones, who stopped all three shots he faced in the final frame.
"It's a tough game, tough to take any good parts out of it," Kings head coach Darryl Sutter said. "You don't like pulling goalies the first game of the year."
The Kings, who return to Los Angeles on Sunday to begin a six-game homestand, played without defenseman Jake Muzzin due to an undisclosed injury. Muzzin is day-to-day, but will not play tonight, nor will forward Trevor Lewis (upper body).
Brayden McNabb took Muzzin's place alongside Drew Doughty in Wednesday's defensive pairing.
Arizona also saw its goaltender struggle in its first game, a 6-2 loss to the Winnipeg Jets on Thursday. Mike Smith gave up all six goals on 27 shots faced.
"We need better goaltending than that, plain and simple," said Arizona head coach Dave Tippett. "Smith would tell you the same thing as well."
Martin Hanzal and Mikkel Boedker both scored and Shane Doan began his 19th NHL season with a pair of assists.
The Coyotes will play the second of four straight at home to begin the campaign and have taken four straight and six of their last seven as the host against the Kings.
Arizona won three of the five meetings overall a season ago.