The morning skate: Matt Greene’s back is better, and he plans to play tonight
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A quick post from the Kings’ morning skate at El Segundo before I comb through my recorder for more notes:
Defenseman Matt Greene, who had a sore back on Wednesday and couldn’t finish the team’s practice, skated as normal today and said he plans to play tonight against the Red Wings at Staples Center.
‘My back was just a little bit sore yesterday and it kind of got a little uncomfortable there on the ice and I couldn’t move too well, so I just got off, and that’s it,’ he said. ‘I got some treatment, a good treatment day, and I got some more treatment this morning, and hopefully some more and I’ll be ready to go tonight.’
Greene said the discomfort wasn’t triggered by a specific hit or incident. ‘I kind of started feeling it in the San Jose game,’ he said, referring to the Kings’ 6-2 victory Monday at San Jose. ‘I got treatment on my day off, and it was feeling a lot better that night. I slept and got up in the morning and it didn’t feel right, and getting on the ice, it didn’t loosen up the way I thought it would. Today feels better.’
Coach Terry Murray credited the Kings’ training staff for Greene’s quick recovery and said he was grateful.
‘I’m glad he’s going. He’s a big body, and with [Davis] Drewiske out of the lineup, we need that bulk,’ Murray said.
More in a little while at www.latimes.com/sports
-- Helene Elliott