Alex Turcotte scored twice and notched an assist as the Los Angeles Kings thumped the struggling Vancouver Canucks 5-1 on Thursday.

Alex Turcotte scored twice and notched an assist as the Los Angeles Kings thumped the struggling Vancouver Canucks 5-1 on Thursday.

BOTTOM LINE: The Vancouver Canucks face the Los Angeles Kings in a matchup of Pacific Division opponents. Vancouver is 19-14-10 overall with a 6-3-2 record in Pacific Division play. The Canucks have committed 168 total penalties (3.9 per game) to rank ninth in NHL play.

Throughout the five-game road trip, the Los Angeles Kings have had trouble putting the puck in the net, despite the fast starts and chances generated.

The way the Canucks played Thursday, completely unengaged and unfocussed at the start, demonstrated how hollowed out they’ve become. They’re impossible to recognize as last year’s team.

The NHL Department of Player Safety laid down the gavel on Los Angeles Kings forward Adrian Kempe on Tuesday. Kempe slew-footed Edmonton Oilers superstar Connor McDavid in the third period of the Oilers' 1-0 victory on Monday.

The Los Angeles Kings snapped their brief two-game losing streak on Thursday, thanks to a strong first period where they jumped out to a 3-0 lead before the game was 10 minutes old.

"Los Angeles' Adrian Kempe has been fined $5,000 ... The Kings are set to play the Vancouver Canucks next on Thursday, followed by the Seattle Kraken on Saturday, and the Pittsburgh Penguins ...