Category Archives: Injuries

Kings’ Jeff Carter out of World Cup with an injury; Ducks’ Corey Perry replaces him

Posted on by
Reply

Kings forward Jeff Carter is out of the World Cup of Hockey for Team Canada because of a lower-body injury and right wing Corey Perry will replace him, joining Ducks teammate Ryan Getzlaf for the eight-team tournament, which begins Sept. 17 in Toronto.

Team Canada opens its training camp Monday in Ottawa.

“I know Jeff wanted to play and represent Canada and his decision to step aside as they continue to monitor his injury speaks to his character and willingness to put Team Canada’s success above all else,” Team Canada general manager Doug Armstrong told TSN.ca Friday.

“We look forward to seeing him back on the ice when the NHL season resumes.”

Carter’s status is said to be day-to-day. The Kings begin training camp Sept. 23 at their El Segundo training facility. He scored 24 goals last season. Carter was Perry’s teammate on the Canadian team that won the gold medal at the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia.

Perry is one of eight active players to have won a Stanley Cup championship (2007), Olympic gold (2010, ’14) and World Championship gold (’16). He also is one of two players to have added a World Junior Championship, joining former Ducks teammate Scott Niedermayer.

As a 50-goal scorer and Hart Trophy winner as the NHL’s MVP in 2011, Perry’s absence from Canada’s initial roster was a surprise. He led the Ducks with 34 goals last season, his sixth consecutive season with 30 goals or more, matching Paul Kariya for second-best in team history.

Ducks exit interviews: Rickard Rakell

Posted on by
Reply

Ducks center Rickard Rakell said Saturday he never regained his fitness after undergoing an appendectomy near the end of the regular season. He said he wasn’t himself for the Ducks’ first-round playoff loss to the Nashville Predators. Here’s more of his conversation with reporters:

“I don’t want to used it as an excuse, but I didn’t feel the same as before it happened. I tried to do everything I can to come back as good as I can. Obviously, I wish I could have helped the team a little bit more. … I got tired quicker and just battling with other players, I felt like I was stronger and could have protected the puck better (before the surgery). … There was a lot of pain in the end. The first few days, I still had holes in my stomach and it was hurting a little bit, but it was manageable and nothing I really tried to think about during the games.”

 

Right wing Marian Gaborik talks about his return to the lineup and what the Kings need to do to improve their play in Game 3

Posted on by
Reply

Kings right wing Marian Gaborik returned to the lineup for the first time since injuring his right knee Feb. 12. Here’s some of what he said about his return and the Kings’ 2-1 loss Saturday to the San Jose Sharks in Game 2 of their first-round series: “I felt pretty good. I’ll need to get better and better. We have to be better overall. Each of us need to take our games to the next level.”

Gaborik also said of the Kings’ lackluster play in Game 2, “We’re beating ourselves out there. We have to correct a lot of things. We didn’t generate a whole lot of scoring chances. We have to have (Martin) Jones work way more than he’s been working. We had a pretty good surge at the end there, but it was too late. We have to regroup, go to San Jose and come back with a tied series.”

Game 2 report: Sharks 2, Kings 1

Posted on by
Reply

Key play: Logan Couture’s power-play goal proved to be the difference for the San Jose Sharks in a 2-1 victory Saturday over the Kings in Game 2 of their first-round playoff series at Staples Center. Couture’s second-period putback of Joe Pavelski’s initial try propelled the Sharks to a 2-0 series lead.

Pivotal performer: Pavelski gave the Sharks a 1-0 lead only 3:37 in the game, his third goal in two contests in the best-of-7 series. He also assisted on Couture’s game-winning goal to give him a series-leading four points. He had three shots on goal and won seven of eight faceoffs.

Quote, unquote: “We’ve got to do a better job of getting traffic and getting guys to the net, fighting through box-outs and getting those second- and third-chance opportunities,” Kings left wing Lucic said. “Right now, we’re not doing a good enough job of it. We need to figure it out quick if we want to turn things around. We’ve got to stop playing with frustration and start playing with determination.”

Welcome back: Right wing Marian Gaborik returned to the Kings’ lineup for the first time since spraining his right knee Feb. 12. He was scoreless on four shots on goal in 14:32, playing with a variety of linemates as Kings coach Darryl Sutter mixed and matched his combinations.

Injury update: Kings defenseman Alec Martinez did not play after he was forced from Game 1 after two periods because of an undisclosed injury. Martinez sat out the final four regular-season games because an unspecified injury. His status for Game 3 is unknown. Jamie McBain took Martinez’s spot in the lineup.

LA Kings morning skate report: Marian Gaborik back in the lineup for Game 2 and Alec Martinez out?

Posted on by
Reply

Right wing Marian Gaborik was back in the Kings’ lineup Saturday for Game 2 of their first-round playoff series against the San Jose Sharks at Staples Center. Defenseman Alec Martinez was out of the lineup after an abbreviated return to it Thursday for Game 1.

Or so it seemed.

Gaborik skated on a line with center Anze Kopitar and left wing Milan Lucic during the Kings’ morning stake at Staples Center. Kings coach Darryl Sutter later said Gaborik’s first game since spraining his right knee Feb. 12 against the New York Rangers would be a coach’s decision at game time.

“He’ll go through warmup and he’ll declare himself,” Sutter said of Gaborik, who had 12 goals and 22 points in 54 games when he was injured in the game at Madison Square Garden. “He’s been medically cleared, so it becomes a coach’s decision.”

Gaborik was not immediately available for comment.

Martinez, who has an unspecified injury, didn’t skate with his teammates and there was no locker stall set up for him inside the Kings’ dressing room. It appeared Jamie McBain would take his place and make his playoff debut after playing 345 regular-season games in the NHL.

“It’s still the same game,” McBain said, who yielded to Martinez for Game 1 after filling in for him for the final four games of the regular season. “There might be a little bit more physicality, but at the end of the day, it’s still the same game.”

LA Kings defenseman Drew Doughty talks about playing a greater role of Alec Martinez can’t play in Game 2

Posted on by
Reply

A full story will be up on the Daily News website soon, but here’s what Kings defenseman Drew Doughty said Friday about playing more minutes and shouldering a heavier burden if Alec Martinez can’t play in Game 2 against the Sharks:

“I’m ready for whatever if he can’t play.  If I need to play 30 minutes, that’s great. If not, I’ll play 25 minutes. Either way, I have to play the same way. I have to be more emotionally involved in the game. I can play better than I did and I can lead us better than I did. The next game, I’ve got to step up and do that.”

LA Kings recall defenseman Kevin Gravel from the Ontario Reign of the AHL

Posted on by
Reply

The Kings recalled defenseman Kevin Gravel from the Ontario Reign of the American Hockey League. Gravel’s addition likely means Alec Martinez won’t play in Game 2 of the Kings’ first-round playoff series against the San Jose Sharks. Martinez played 11:43 in the first two periods of Game 1 on Thursday, a 4-3 victory by the Sharks. He didn’t play in the third period, however.

Game 1 report: Sharks 4, Kings 3

Posted on by
Reply

Key play: Joe Pavelski outhustled and outmuscled Anze Kopitar as he swept around the Kings’ net to score the tiebreaking goal 17 seconds into the third period and the San Jose Sharks took a 4-3 victory in Game 1 of their first-round playoff series Thursday at Staples Center.

Pivotal performer: Pavelski scored two goals and was impossible for the Kings to contain in both teams return to the postseason after a one-season absence. He had three shots on net and was credited with three that missed the mark in 19:16 of ice time.

Quote, unquote: “You can’t give them too much momentum,” Kopitar said of the Sharks. “We have to do a better job of staying out of the box and that our mistakes don’t result in goals. (The Kings must) limit their time and space (and) make sure we check them correctly. At the same time, make them defend too. We didn’t do a good enough job. We have to correct that.”

Injury update: Kings defenseman Alec Martinez returned to the lineup after suffering an undisclosed injury that sidelined him for the final four regular-season games. Martinez was scoreless in 11:43 in Game 1, and did not play in the third period.

Between the pipes: Jonathan Quick started for the Kings, as expected, and made 19 saves in his 77th career playoff start. Martin Jones, Quick’s backup before the Kings traded him last spring, had 21 saves in his first start in the playoffs.

Kings coach Darryl Sutter’s quote of the day

Posted on by
Reply

Here’s some of what Kings coach Darryl Sutter said when asked Tuesday about the availability of injured right wing Marian Gaborik for the Game 1 against the San Jose Sharks on Thursday: “Unavailable.”

When a reporter wondered if that meant unavailable for just Game 1 or the whole series or what, Sutter said, “I’m not God. I’m not a doctor.”

Sutter went on to say, “You’re not getting any information from us. Basically, what happens with the media, and I put up with it all season, but I’m not doing it in playoffs. I have no desire to give you any information on the stitches anybody got or what’s wrong with them or ‘how long he’s going to be’ or his wife’s in labor.

“You’re not getting any of that from me. …”

Wait, who’s wife is in labor?

 

Game report: Kings 2, Ducks 1

Posted on by
Reply

Key play: Kris Versteeg tapped in a rebound of his own shot off the crossbar for the tiebreaking goal 2:01 into the second period and the Kings regained first place in the Pacific Division with a 2-1 victory Thursday over the Ducks at Staples Center.

Playoff update: The Kings can win their first division championship since 1990-91 with a victory Saturday over the Winnipeg Jets in their regular-season finale. The Ducks would then finish second. The San Jose Sharks’ 5-4 loss to Winnipeg locked them into third.

Pivotal performer: Ducks goaltender John Gibson made several quality saves, but none better than a stop with his left leg on an unmarked Anze Kopitar early in the third period. Kopitar slipped behind the Ducks’ defense, but couldn’t beat Gibson from point-blank range.

Between the pipes: Kings goalie Jonathan Quick made his 67th appearance of the season and set a franchise record with his 40th victory of 2015-16. Gibson started for the sixth consecutive game in place of the injured Frederik Andersen (concussion).

Quote, unquote: “We want to win without having to score four or five goals,” Kings defenseman Drew Doughty said. “We want to win games only letting in one and we were able to do that tonight against a really good team that has kind of owned us this season. … That’s the only reason we beat them, because we played good defense.”

Kings injury update: Defenseman Alec Martinez sat out for the third game because of what the Kings referred to as an undisclosed injury. Martinez also didn’t play in a loss Monday to the Vancouver Canucks and a victory Tuesday over the Calgary Flames.

Ducks injury update: Andersen didn’t play for the fourth game because of a concussion suffered in a victory March 30 over the Calgary Flames. Andersen said he hopes to play in one of the Ducks’ final two regular-season games.