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Posted at 11:15 AM EST

4:05 PM EST. Regulation only. The Kings dropped the opener of their five-game homestand, falling 3-1 to the Predators on Thursday night. Left wing Austin Wagner returned to the lineup after a four-game absence. That’s news for those dregs. Jeff Carter is also back. The 14-year veteran center has not found the net in his last 13 contests since his return from a lower-body injury and has recorded just two assists in that time. Then there’s this: Ilya Kovalchuk appeared to be skating as an extra during Friday's practice. Kovalchuk might end up serving as a healthy scratch on Saturday. Kings coach Willie Desjardins didn't confirm that Kovalchuk would be scratched, but he did indicate that a change was likely. "Whenever you’re losing, you just can’t stand pat. You want to find ways to get better," Desjardins said. "We do want to get young guys in and playing, too. I think we’re always looking at different things we could do." The Kings are just 2-14 over their last 16 games. Meanwhile, Kovalchuk has four points over his past 16 contests. The Kings are loaded with veterans way past their prime that cannot wait for the season to end. Everybody in that Kings locker room can’t wait for April to roll around.

Meanwhile, A young, quick, talented and hungry Florida team, that is playing its best hockey of the year, should skate circles around L.A. from start to finish, just like they did back in Sunrise when the Panthers blitzed Quick for five unanswered goals and crushed the Kings, 6-1. The Panthers are on a roll. They just beat the hottest team in the NHL to kick off their road trip when they went into the Shark Tank on Thursday and beat San Jose for their third straight win. Florida’s last two losses were to Pittsburgh in OT and to Boston by one goal, 4-3 but they had a 3-2 lead in that game with 40 seconds left. We’re hoping that Samuel Montembeault gets the call in goal because the kid looks great but even if he doesn’t, we’ll trust the Panthers to keep it rolling against the most beatable team in the NHL.

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