The Kings have won four consecutive games, including an impressive 5-2 decision Monday over the Ducks that ended their rival’s six-game streak. The Kings are 9-6-2. The Red Wings have been in Los Angeles since Monday, and coach Mike Babcock attended the Kings’ game against the Ducks. Detroit isn’t off to a great start either, with a 9-7-3 record. Anze Kopitar leads the Kings with 15 points (five goals, 10 assists). Jeff Carter (10 goals, two assists) and Mike Richards (four goals, eight assists) have 12 points apiece. Henrik Zetterberg has 25 points (six goals, 19 assists) for Detroit.

When a reporter asked Kings coach Darryl Sutter how well he knows Babcock, a typically stern-faced Sutter said, “I know him pretty well. I know he wants to kick my (rear end) and I want to kick his.”

This will be the Kings’ first game since trading forward Simon Gagne to the Philadelphia Flyers on Tuesday. Gagne lost his spot in the lineup to Dustin Penner, who scored his first goal of the season Monday against the Ducks. The Kings received a conditional fourth-round draft pick this June from the Flyers, Gagne’s former team.