Kings-Blue Jackets Preview

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- The Columbus Blue Jackets are experiencing a power outage and crews are on the scene trying to fix the problem.

In a 2-0 loss at home on Thursday to the Tampa Bay Lightning that ended a four-game winning streak, the crew failed miserably on the power play, going 0 of 3 and generating next to no shots on two of them.

And Columbus badly needed a power surge on a night when its offense was struggling to generate a goal despite outshooting the Lightning 33-8 in the final two periods.

"We weren't good," Blue Jackets coach John Tortorella said Friday. "You've got to play the right way. We're going to show them video and then we're going to get ready for our next game."

The Blue Jackets (5-2) hope to restore power at Nationwide Arena when they play host to the Los Angeles Kings on Saturday night in the second game of a four-game homestand.

That might not be easy.

For the second time in two nights, the Blue Jackets will be facing a red-hot team. The resurgent Kings (5-0-1) lead the Pacific Division and they're the only team in the NHL that has yet to lose in regulation.

"I don't think there's one person that would have predicted that we've done what we've done," Kings defenseman Drew Doughty said. "I'm pretty sure I know from hearing other people talk that every single team counted us out of the playoffs, counted us out of even competing for a playoff spot."

On Wednesday night, Adrian Kempe led the Kings to a 5-1 victory at home over the Montreal Canadiens with a hat trick and Michael Cammalleri contributed two goals and two assists. The Kings put the game away with four goals in the third period.

The visit to Columbus is the start of a six-game trip for Los Angeles.

"Now we've got to go prove ourselves as a road team," Doughty said.

The Kings will be without Jeff Carter for an indefinite period. The veteran center had surgery on Thursday to repair a leg laceration sustained Wednesday night.

To fill the void, the Kings signed NHL veteran Brooks Laich to a one-year, $650,000 contract. Laich had been practicing with the team after his tryout deal expired at the end of training camp.

"Jeff gets hurt and today is an opportunity for me," Laich said, "so I'm very thankful for the organization, grateful that they allowed me to stick around and practice. Sometimes you get a little bit of luck and you get an opportunity. Now I'm here to make the most of it."

The Blue Jackets will welcome back one of its players from injured reserve. Forward Boone Jenner (middle body) was activated Friday and could make his season debut against the Kings.

"I've been feeling good," said Jenner, who had played in 175 consecutive regular-season games before sitting out the first seven this year. "I'm itching to come back and help the boys."

The Blue Jackets could really use some help on their power play.

Since converting with a man advantage on the first chance in the season opener, the Blue Jackets have gone 0 of 18. Their 5.3 power play percentage puts them 29th of 31 teams in the league.

"We know we're a good power-play line, so we just try to do the right things," Columbus center Alexander Wennberg said. "Obviously, right now the bounces or goals that we want (aren't going our way), so we've just got to work harder and make it happen."