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Lupul (back), Nokelainen (groin) miss Ducks’ practice

By Helene Elliott
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Winger Joffrey Lupul and center Petteri Nokelianen didn’t practice with the Ducks today, Lupul because of what Coach Randy Carlyle called tightness in his lower back and Nokelainen because of a pulled groin muscle.

Lupul, projected to play on the second line with Saku Koivu and Teemu Selanne, had a similar problem last week but played in the Ducks’ exhibition finale against the Kings on Sunday. ‘We seem to be able to loosen it up and then [when] he goes out and does anything, it seems to cramp back up,’ Carlyle said. ‘We’re precautionary.’

Nokelainen, who suffered the injury on Friday, skated before the rest of the team today at Anaheim Ice and is undergoing rehabilitation. Carlyle said the muscle isn’t torn.

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The Ducks remain two over the 23-man roster limit and are expected to announce their final cuts Wednesday morning. The deadline for submitting rosters to the NHL office is noon Pacific Time on Wednesday.

More later at www.latimes.com/sports

-- Helene Elliott

Sports Now
Helene Elliott

Helene Elliott was with the Los Angeles Times’ Sports department from 1989 to 2024, first as a staff writer and then, starting in 2006, as a columnist. She became the first female journalist to be honored with a plaque in the Hall of Fame of a major professional sport as the 2005 winner of the Hockey Hall of Fame’s Elmer Ferguson Award, awarded to writers “who have brought honor to journalism and to hockey.” A native of Brooklyn, N.Y., and graduate of Northwestern University’s Medill School of Journalism, she has covered 18 Olympics.

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