Kings lose one and perhaps another in split-squad games vs. Phoenix

Well, that was some exhibition the Kings put on during a lackluster 5-1 loss to the Phoenix Coyotes in a split-squad game Sunday night at Staples Center. The Kings gave up a pair of first-period power-play goals to the Coyotes and never were really in their first exhibition contest since 2011. There were no exhibitions last season because of the lockout.

Meanwhile in Glendale, Ariz., the news was worse. Kings forward Jordan Nolan could face a suspension for what eyewitnesses described as a shoulder-to-chin hit to the Coyotes’ Rusty Klesla in the first period of a split-squad game at Jobing.com Arena. Klesla was taken from the ice on a stretcher.

Phoenix’s Paul Bissonnette left the bench to join an ensuing scuffle with Nolan and others and could draw an automatic 10-game suspension.

At Staples Center, Brandon Yip scored twice and had an assist for the Coyotes. He extended the Coyotes’ lead to 4-0 in the opening minutes of the third period, beating Kings goaltender Mathieu Garon with a laser from the right faceoff circle while on the rush.

Defenseman Slava Voynov scored a third-period goal for the Kings.

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Sunday’s split-squad lineups for the Kings’ exhibitions against Phoenix

Goaltenders Jonathan Quick, Mathieu Garon and J.F. Berube are listed on the Kings’ roster for Sunday’s split-squad game against the Phoenix Coyotes at Staples Center. Coach Darryl Sutter said Saturday that Quick would not play, so expect to see Garon and Berube. Others on the Staples Center squad include: defensemen Matt Greene, Drew Doughty and Slava Voynov and forwards Anze Kopitar, Mike Richards and Jeff Carter.

The Kings will face a traveling Coyotes squad that features a lot of very high numbers and unfamiliar names. Brandon Yip, anyone?

The Kings’ lineup for the game in Glendale, Ariz., includes goalies Martin Jones, Ben Scivens and Mathias Niederberger, defensemen Keaton Ellerby, Jake Muzzin and Jeff Schultz and forwards Daniel Carcillo, Trevor Lewis and Jarret Stoll. They will face a more veteran Coyotes lineup that includes goalie Mike Smith, defenseman Keith Yandle and forwards Shane Doan and Oliver Ekman-Larsson.

 

 

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Matt Frattin scores the lone goal in the Kings’ training camp scrimmage

The Kings divided their 57-man training camp roster into two teams for a scrimmage Saturday in El Segundo. Actually, it was 56 since team captain Dustin Brown sat out because of a sore hamstring. Matt Frattin scored the only goal in the 40-minute scrimmage, leading the Black team to a 1-0 victory over the White squad. Frattin skated with Jeff Carter and Mike Richards to start the scrimmage.

Frattin was acquired in the Kings’ deal that sent goaltender Jonathan Bernier to Toronto.

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Kings prospect watch: forward Tyler Toffoli

Tyler Toffoli played a good deal last season with Tanner Pearson and Linden Vey while they were with the Manchester (N.H.) Monarchs of the American Hockey League. They were broken up only after Toffoli was summoned to Los Angeles to join the Kings.

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Sutter: Brown, Mitchell, Quick sitting out the Kings’ first exhibition games

Team captain Dustin Brown has a sore hamstring and won’t play in either of the Kings’ split-squad exhibitions Sunday against the Phoenix Coyotes. Defenseman Willie Mitchell also will be sidelined as coach Darryl Sutter attempts to bring him along slowly after a 14-month layup because of knee troubles. Goaltender Jonathan Quick won’t play either, but not because of injury or illness. Sutter said there’s no reason for Quick to play “all our games.” Quick is a mortal lock to be the Kings’ No. 1 goalie, barring injury or illness. So, there’s no need to push him during training camp. The Kings were still determining which group would travel to Glendale, Ariz., to face the Coyotes and which squad would remain at home. Sutter said he would take a younger team to Arizona.

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Kings alter their practice schedule, will hold a scrimmage Saturday morning

The Kings needed all of two days to decide to make a change to their practice schedule. They announced Friday they would conduct a scrimmage at 11 a.m. Saturday at their El Segundo practice facility. It’s unclear which players will play or how the 57 names on the training camp roster will be divided up. We’ll have a full report, so check back Saturday.

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Justin Williams talks about stability and a change in the Kings’ culture

Justin Williams didn’t know what to expect when he joined the Kings in a three-team trade March 4, 2009. The only thing that was for certain was nothing was certain. Matters have changed dramatically for the veteran right wing, and for the Kings, too. Funny what a Stanley Cup championship and several long-term contract extensions for key players will do for an organization. Williams certainly has noticed a change in the club.

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Kings prospect watch: defenseman Jake Muzzin

It’s hard to describe a player with seven goals and nine assists and a team-leading plus-minus defensive rating of plus-16 in 45 games last season as a prospect. But it’s important to remember that Jake Muzzin would have spent last season with the Manchester (N.H.) Monarchs of the AHL if Willie Mitchell (knee) hadn’t missed all of 2012-13 and Matt Greene (back) hadn’t sat out all but five games.

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Darryl Sutter back to 100 percent after offseason double-hernia surgery

Concealing injuries has been an NHL playoff tradition for as long as there have been postseason beards. Darryl Sutter hid an injury from the Kings players for all of last season plus the playoffs before revealing last June that he underwent a double-hernia operation performed by a robot. The coach made the announcement during a television interview. “You know how much I don’t like guys playing if they’re half injured,” Sutter said Thursday, on the opening day of training camp. “Quite honest, I’d rather they didn’t know I was hurt.”

Sutter said he was 100 percent.

“I’m good,” he said. “It feels good to feel good again. It took a while.”

 

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Kings prospect watch: goalie Patrik Bartosak

Having played last season for Brent Sutter at junior-level Red Deer (Alberta) of the Western Hockey League, Patrik Bartosak knows how to decipher Sutter speak. When Kings coach Darryl Sutter issued commands at the first day of training camp Thursday, Bartosak knew exactly what he was saying. Over the years, others have been hesitant to go first during a drill for fear of misunderstanding the low Sutter growl.

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