Time: Thursday, December 03, 2009 at 10:30 PM ET
League: NHL – United States of America

Last 10 matches: Ottawa 5-3-2; Los Angeles 6-4-0.
Ottawa forwards Chris Neil and Shean Donovan remain out with knee injuries, though Neil could be back soon. Goaltender Pascal Leclaire (broken jaw) won’t be back until around Christmas.

Los Angeles defenseman Rob Scuderi missed the Anaheim game with a lower-body injury. Forward Ryan Smyth (upper-body injury) could be activated from injured reserve in a couple weeks.Half of the 24 shots in the first period of Tuesday’s Senators-Sharks game were by Heatley (six), Michalek (four) and Cheechoo (two). Michalek and Cheechoo have combined for 17 goals and 24 points for Ottawa, while Heatley has put up 18 goals and 32 points so far for San Jose.
Neither of these squads were accounted for in last season’s Stanley Cup Playoffs, but both would be in there if the postseason began today. Ottawa, which went to the Stanley Cup Final in 2007, is currently battling Boston and Buffalo for the Northeast Division lead. Los Angeles, in search of its first playoff berth since 2002, sits second in the Pacific Division.
Michalek, whose career high for goals in a season is 26, appears on his way to a breakout year with 15 after netting four over the first two games of the road trip. … Second-year right wing Wayne Simmonds has three goals and five points in the Kings’ last four games. We will post results of this match, as soon as posible.