Kings active Kyle Clifford from injured reserve, place Trevor Lewis on IR

The Kings activated left wing Kyle Clifford from injured reserve before Saturday’s home game against the Colorado Avalanche. They placed forward Trevor Lewis on IR. Clifford was sidelined by a concussion since he was injured during the Kings’ victory Nov. 9 over the Vancouver Canucks. Lewis has an unspecified lower-body injury. Clifford had one goal in 16 games. Lewis was scoreless in 23 games. Forward Jeff Carter (broken foot), defenseman Matt Greene (upper body) and goalie Jonathan Quick (groin strain) remain on the IR.

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Jeff Carter and Kyle Clifford rejoin teammates for the Kings’ practice

Injured forwards Jeff Carter (broken foot) and Kyle Clifford (concussion) rejoined their Kings teammates for their practice Friday at the team’s El Segundo practice facility. Carter hasn’t played since he was hurt Oct. 30 against the San Jose Sharks and Clifford has been sidelined since a Nov. 9 game against the Vancouver Canucks. They are considered day-to-day. Friday was a good day for them, but it’s not immediately clear whether they can play in Saturday’s home game against the Colorado Avalanche.

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Kings coach Darryl Sutter isn’t like most NHL coaches (part 1,000,005)

Coach Darryl Sutter often puts an unusual spin on the most straightforward of questions. Thursday’s postgame session, after the Kings dominated the New Jersey Devils with a 35-15 advantage in shots on goal but with a 2-1 overtime defeat by game’s end, was another case in point. Here’s his give-and-take with yours truly, who has been known to ask and ask and ask.

Reporter: “Were the players frustrated by a lack of goals despite such a wide shot disparity?”

Sutter: “No.”

Reporter: “Do teams generally not look at that stuff?”

Sutter: “I’m not sure. I’m not 29 other teams.”

Reporter: “I mean players in general, do they or you look up at the shot clock?”

Sutter: “In my mind I know what the scoring chances are, so I don’t put a whole lot into it. First off, guys (on the NHL’s statistical crew) are just, ‘Take, take, take, take. Oh, missed that one. Take, take.’ Sometimes it’s right. Sometimes it’s wrong. Tonight it was right.”

Sutter pushed an imaginary laptop keyboard when he said, Take, take, take, take.”

Finally, Sutter concluded: “Finish the deal.”

In other words, win the game.

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Jaromir Jagr tries to explain how the New Jersey Devils beat the Kings in OT

Jaromir Jagr’s overtime goal propelled the New Jersey Devils to a 2-1 victory on Thursday night at Staples Center. The Devils won despite being outshot 35-15 and being outplayed for most of the game. Jagr knew it, his teammates knew it and so did everyone in the arena. The future Hall of Fame forward could only explain it one way after the game, and he had to go back to his childhood to do it.

Said the 41-year-old Jagr: “When I (used) to say, “Hey, dad, we lost the game, but we played good,’ he would reply, ‘You’re not a figure skater, you don’t get points for looking good, you’ve got to score goals.’ So, it makes it even more lucky for us.”

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Kings forward Matt Frattin looks like he’s ready for some football

Matt Frattin looked like he was ready for some football. He needed 14 stitches to mend a mouth wound after Pierre-Cedric Labrie of the Tampa Bay Lightning clipped him Tuesday. Frattin, a forward, also needed a football-style guard to protect his injury for Thursday’s game against the New Jersey Devils.

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Injury updates on injured Kings forwards Jeff Carter and Kyle Clifford

Injured forwards Jeff Carter (broken foot) and Kyle Clifford skated Thursday after the majority of their teammates concluded their morning skate at the Kings’ practice facility in El Segundo. They were joined by backup goalie Martin Jones and the extra players on the roster, who also stayed late.

Carter has been sidelined since the Kings’ overtime victory Oct. 30 over the San Jose Sharks and has only recently resumed skating on his own. Clifford was injured during a win Nov. 9 over the Vancouver Canucks. Carter, Clifford, defenseman Matt Greene and goalie Jonathan Quick are on the injured-reserve list.

It’s uncertain when any of the four might return to the lineup.

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Kings GM Dean Lombardi says Jonathan Quick could be out until Christmas

When goaltender Jonathan Quick suffered a groin strain during the Kings’ shootout loss Nov. 12 to the Buffalo Sabres, the original estimate was that he would be sidelined for between four and six weeks. Kings general manager Dean Lombardi more or less confirmed that diagnosis when he told a Canadian radio program Wednesday that Quick would be out for at least another month and might not be back before Christmas at the soonest.

“It’s going to be a while,” Lombardi said. “At least another month. We’re probably looking, if things go according to plan, at Christmas.”

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Kings prospect watch: forwards Tanner Pearson, Tyler Toffoli and Linden Vey

Injuries to forwards Jeff Carter (foot), Kyle Clifford (concussion) and Jarret Stoll (upper body) left the Kings will no choice but to recall Tanner Pearson, Tyler Toffoli and Linden Vey from their American Hockey League affiliate at Manchester (N.H.). The three rookies have made their impact in recent games, but some have been more impactful than others, according to Kings coach Darryl Sutter.

Continue reading “Kings prospect watch: forwards Tanner Pearson, Tyler Toffoli and Linden Vey” »

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