The Los Angeles Kings are mired in their longest losing streak of the season and struggling to score goals. The identity of their next opponent may make things look a whole lot brighter.The Kings will try to continue their mastery of the Edmonton Oilers when the Pacific Division rivals face off Thursday night in Los Angeles in the first of five meetings this season.Last season, the Kings outscored the Oilers 20-12 while completing the first season series sweep of at least five games in franchise history. Additionally, Los Angeles has won nine in a row at Staples Center over Edmonton by a 36-13 margin, and the Kings are 16-1-2 in the past 19 matchups overall.All that is great for a Kings team that needs some positive news. After kicking off a five-game road trip with a 7-0 rout of the Toronto Maple Leafs on Nov. 8, Los Angeles (7-9-1) has managed a total of five goals while losing four in a row, including a 4-1 setback to the Colorado Avalanche on Tuesday.Though the Kings have played just 17 games, reigning Norris Trophy winner Drew Doughty said the team must have a different mindset.We need to play more desperate, he told the Los Angeles Times. When youre losing games, its not fun. ... Its not fun coming to the rink sometimes. Weve got to be more desperate and treat every single game as if its a playoff game or a division game and thats how were going to get back on track.Doughty had only three assists in five games versus the Oilers last season. Los Angeles was paced by Tyler Toffoli (three goals, five assists in five games) and Jeff Carter (four goals, three assists in four games).Carter is the Kings leader with five goals and 11 points so far in 2016-17.Los Angeles continues to deal with injuries to key players including goaltender Jonathan Quick (lower body), Marian Gaborik (foot) and center Anze Kopitar (upper body). Quick is out until January, but Gaborik could be back next week and Kopitar remains day-to-day after being injured Friday against the Ottawa Senators.It definitely helps out to be out there on the ice, and just, you know, be on the ice and have the feel and all of that, Kopitar told LAKingsInsider.com on Wednesday. Again, day-to-day, skate again (Thursday), see what happens and well go from there.Despite their struggles, the Kings are fourth in the Pacific, four points behind the Oilers, who are tied with the Anaheim Ducks for first thanks in part to a 5-3-1 road record.These are tough games to play in Anaheim, L.A., San Jose, Dallas, they always have been, Oilers coach Todd McLellan told the Edmonton Sun prior to a three-game road trip that started Tuesday with a 4-1 loss to the Ducks and concludes Saturday against the Stars.McLellan went on to say Edmonton has showed some improvement, but now it is time to ratchet up the results.We want to take that a step further and come up with some wins, he told the Sun. However the game is played, I think were equipped to play it, but individuals have to pick up their play.Not dealing with an early deficit would help, too. The Oilers (9-7-1) have dropped a season-high four straight, but more alarming is they have surrendered the opening goal in each of their last six. Edmonton has fallen behind in the first 1:57 in four of those contests and trailed within the opening 28 seconds in two.The Oilers are 4-6-1 when opponents score first.It becomes a mental thing, but theres two different types of play ... one where (youre) not prepared mentally at the start of games, then when the other team scores, you think and reflect on that and you lose the next five minutes, too, McLellan told the Edmonton Journal.Cam Talbot was 0-4-0 with a 3.56 goals-against average and a .893 save percentage against the Kings last season, and he has surrendered 24 goals in his past seven games overall, posting a 1-5-1 record. Jonas Gustavsson could make his first appearance since Nov. 6, when he recorded 22 saves in 2-1 road win over the Detroit Red Wings.In his only game in Los Angeles while with Detroit, Gustavsson allowed an early goal as the Red Wings fell 1-0 on Feb. 24, 2015.Oilers left winger Milan Lucic is scheduled to meet his former club for the first time. While with the Kings last season, Lucic had a goal, four assists and a team-high 10 penalty minutes vs. Edmonton.He signed a seven-year, $42 million deal with the Oilers in July, and he has five goals and four assists in 17 games. Authentic Custom Diamondbacks Jersey . Thousands of Southern California fans enveloped the Trojans to celebrate an improbable win secured by an interim coach, an inconsistent kicker and a thin defence that wouldnt break. Randy Johnson Jersey Large . 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Western Bulldogs coach Luke Beveridge has revealed a childrens book was one of the driving forces behind the Dogs inspired run to the 2016 AFL premiership.The book, Salty Dog, was given to Beveridge by football chief Graham Lowe at the start of a season that culminated in the Bulldogs first premiership since 1954.I was reading through this book and ... its about confronting your fears, Beveridge told Fox Footys On The Couch.As I read each page it was quite simple, its like a childrens book, but it had really powerful messages in there.So we had 100 copies printed and had our logo printed on the back ... and we gave each player a book. We talked about the content and to our players credit they confronted their fears.All year, every time there was a trial or a tribulation, they met it head on.So powerful was the message, along with other themes that Beveridge declined to divulge, that by the time the Dogs reached the grand final they had already conquered their fears.In the end, part of going into the grand final was bringing it back to what theyd already done, Beveridge said of a season in which his club confronted a horror run with injuries.ddddddddddddAnd on the last page it says Run towards the fire and they were basically in the fire.Theyd met all of their challenges head on, the grand final was as hot as it was going to get and they were ready for it.Most associated with the Dogs have been reluctant to declare the grand final win over Sydney the start of a dynasty.But Beveridge is already focused on making sure Bulldogs fans dont have to wait another 62 years to see their team lift the cup.Were definitely not in a space to think that were the best (team) even though weve just won the grand final, he said of his team that finished the home-and-away season seventh with 15 wins.Theres still plenty of work to do so it will take a concerted effort by everyone to make sure that we keep our feet on the ground.When our players go away on holiday they need to make sure they keep themselves in good order - thats their big test. 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