Kings-Canucks Preview

— -- It's been over 10 years since the Los Angeles Kings had the most points in the NHL this deep into a season. They have a chance to gain sole possession of the league lead Monday night when they play the Vancouver Canucks in search of their first five-game winning streak in almost four years. The Kings (21-10-3) are tied with San Jose for the lead in the West, one point back of NHL-leading Washington. Both teams are idle Monday, giving Los Angeles a chance to be atop the league standings after a minimum of 10 games for the first time since Nov. 29, 1999. The Kings' stunning turnaround comes after they failed to reach the playoffs for a team-record sixth consecutive time last season. "We're where we want to be, but we feel we haven't reached our potential yet. And that's our job -- to go out and find it and really dominate teams, which I know we can," right wing Justin Williams said. "I think we've shown this season that we're an elite team in this conference, and a team that deserves respect." Los Angeles got a little help in tying the Sharks atop the West in Saturday's 3-2 shootout win over Dallas. Referee Kelly Sutherland initially called Mike Ribeiro's shootout attempt a goal before Kings' goaltender Jonathan Quick questioned the call, and video replay proved Quick made the save before the puck was redirected into the net. "I made the initial save and the rebound hit his shin pad, I think, and went in. But after that initial save, the puck's dead," said Quick, who made 25 saves before stopping all four attempts in the tiebreaker. The Kings are also in position to win five in a row for the first time since Feb. 11-March 7, 2006, and Quick has been a big reason for the success. He's 7-1-1 with a 2.15 goals-against average and .925 save percentage in his last nine games. However, one of those defeats came in a 4-1 loss at Vancouver (18-14-0) on Nov. 26, as Quick stopped 30 shots. Los Angeles has dropped its last four meetings with Vancouver despite Quick's 2.24 GAA in those games. The Canucks will try to continue that success against the Kings as they attempt to improve to 3-0 during an eight-game homestand. They won a second consecutive contest Saturday, beating Minnesota 4-3 as Henrik Sedin had three assists. Sedin has been outstanding at setting up goals, compiling 13 assists in a six-game point streak. The center has one goal and 16 assists over the last nine games. He has 27 assists and is second in the NHL with 41 points, three back of the lead. "Every time he gets the puck, he finds ways to get it to the shooter," said left wing Alex Burrows, who scored his sixth goal in nine games Saturday -- all assisted by Sedin. "He saucers it through sticks or finds lanes to make the play and whether it's on his forehand of backhand, he's able to make tape-to-tape passes." Sedin has a goal and two assists in two season meetings with the Kings.