Nashville Predators (42-20-8) at Los Angeles Kings (37-28-5), 10:30 p.m.

(Sports Network) - The Los Angeles Kings will play their first game since the firing of Andy Murray tonight, as they welcome the Nashville Predators to the Staples Center.

The Kings held first place in the Pacific Division for a sizeable portion of the season, but then began to fade. Murray was axed Tuesday night and John Torchetti was placed with the tag of interim head coach.

Murray compiled 215 wins during his five-plus season tenure in Los Angeles. He led the Kings to three playoff berths and is the franchise's all-time leader in both coaching victories and games coached, but things soured for the Kings this season.

LA currently has 79 points and is one point behind Edmonton for the eighth and final playoff berth in the Western Conference.

The team has dropped four of their last five contests and the last straw was Monday's 5-0 home loss to the Colorado Avalanche. The Kings never were in the contest as they fell behind 2-0 in the first period and didn't pose a serious threat. Joe Corvo and Dustin Brown each totaled four shots on goal for the Kings.

LA, which is 22-12-1 as the host this year, wraps up a five-game homestand tonight.

Nashville, meanwhile, comes in on a sour note after dropping a 6-3 decision to the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim on Friday at Arrowhead Pond. Steve Sullivan recorded a goal and an assist for the Predators, who had a five-game winning streak halted.

In the playoff scheme, Nashville seems like a lock for the fourth spot. The team trails the Red Wings by 10 points (102-92) for first place in the Central Division while owning an eight-point edge over the Ducks, who sit fifth in the Western Conference.

Tomas Vokoun and Chris Mason combined to allow six goals on 30 shots faced in the loss.

The Preds, who will wrap up a four-game road trip in Phoenix on Wednesday, are 15-14-7 away from home this season.

Nashville has won two of three from the Kings this season, but is just 2-6-1 in the last nine overall matchups. The Preds have also dropped three straight and seven of their last eight in LA.