Kings set to face Canucks in biggest game of the season -- so far

Kings center Jarret Stoll slipped back into the lineup, almost seamlessly, after having missed more than two weeks because of a head injury.

Vancouver was, in fact, where the injury occurred on March 12. Stoll managed to get back in time just for the final regular-season push, rejoining the Kings at home on Thursday against Edmonton.

“Coming into games like these, it makes it easier, just getting that speed up,” Stoll said. “It felt pretty good considering I was out for nine games, over two weeks. It goes by quickly.

“The guys are on the road. You’re pretty bored sitting at home by yourself, skating by yourself. All of a sudden, it’s nine games and you want to get back in the lineup as quickly as you can and try to help the team, especially at this point of the season.”

The latest installation of “Biggest Game of the Season” will be here Monday night against the Canucks. Vancouver leads the Kings by three points in the Pacific Division and Kings defenseman Drew Doughty was setting his sights higher than simply getting into the playoffs.

“We want to get home ice if we can,” Doughty said. “We’re not many points out. It’s very much in reaching distance. We’ve just got to win all our games and start with this one.”

Said Vancouver Canucks center and former King Linden Vey: “It’s pretty intense. The playoffs are on the line. It’s so tight in our division the whole way. You couldn’t have scripted anything better.”

The Kings have four games remaining and Kings Coach Darryl Sutter wasn’t up for dwelling on the fact that his team held the Colorado Avalanche to a mere 10 shots on goal in Saturday’s victory.

“As soon as we get a game where we give up 30 to 40 shots, I get a mic stuck in my face, wondering what’s wrong with our team,” Sutter said. “Usually what’s wrong is the (stat) guy broke his pencil off.”

Avalanche Coach Patrick Roy noted after the game that Colorado forward Gabriel Landeskog was not credited with a shot when he should have been.

“I’ve said that lots this year,” Sutter said. “Kopi (Anze Kopitar) can go two or three games without a shot in our rink and you look at it and he has our best scoring chances. I guess it’s selective.”

Twitter: @reallisa