Loktionov hurts shoulder; Schenn becomes King for a day

 

Short on forwards after losing Andrei Loktionov to a dislocated shoulder, the Kings today signed center Brayden Schenn to a one-day amateur tryout agreement. He skated with the team during the morning skate at GM Place in Vancouver, Canada, and is expected to make his NHL debut tonight against the Canucks, according to a team spokesman.

Schenn, chosen fifth by the Kings in the June entry draft and a late cut during training camp, on Wednesday played in nearby Victoria for a Canadian junior all-star team in a tournament against a Russian junior team.

With center Jarret Stoll unable to play in the Kings' 3-1 victory at Edmonton on Wednesday because of an unspecified injury, Schenn zoomed up the depth chart and will get a chance tonight.

Loktionov, 19, had been called up from minor league Manchester on Monday and was injured in his NHL debut Wednesday. He was placed on injured reserve. He spent Wednesday night in an Edmonton hospital but was expected to fly to Vancouver today to meet the team. The Kings are short on centers at the minor league level too after the injury to Loktionov and a previous injury to Justin Azevedo.

-- Helene Elliott

Photo: Kings center Andrew Loktionov takes a shot against Sharks goaltender Thomas Greiss in an exhibition game shootout in September. Credit: Stephen Dunn / Getty Images

Notes from practice and beyond: Loktionov to play with Frolov and Brown, Hickey to have shoulder surgery

Some interesting bits of news emerged from the Kings' practice today:

Andrei Loktionov, summoned from Manchester of the American Hockey League on Monday, centered a line with fellow Russian Alexander Frolov and Dustin Brown. In a curious move Teddy Purcell, who hasn't scored a goal since the third game of the season and has played on the second, third and fourth lines, was moved up to the top line with Anze Kopitar and Justin Williams and will get a chance there for at least Wednesday's game at Edmonton and Thursday's game at Vancouver

"I need him to get going. I want to give him every opportunity to play well," Coach Terry Murray said of Purcell.

And if he doesn't get going...he could be gone. From the top line, anyway.

"I need to have that conversation with him," Murray said. "'Hey, it's time. I need you to give us some statistics here. Points. That's a big part of your game, is to create. Score. This is a great opportunity.'"

Defenseman Rob Scuderi and center Jarret Stoll skated Tuesday but wore red non-contact jerseys. Murray said both will go on the trip but they're questionable for both games.

Kings promote Andrei Loktionov, Brandon Segal from Manchester

With center Jarret Stoll questionable for Wednesday's game at Edmonton because of an undisclosed injury  -- and already out of spare forwards after the upper-body injury that is expected to idle Ryan Smyth for a month -- the Kings called up two forwards from Manchester of the American Hockey League on Monday.

They summoned center Andrei Loktionov, who was leading the Monarchs in scoring with six goals and 17 points in 20 games, and right wing Brandon Segal, who had six goals and 14 points in 21 games. Segal ranked third in team scoring, behind Loktionov and Oscar Moller, who has eight goals and 16 points in 19 games. 

Both are expected to arrive in time to practice Tuesday at the Toyota Sports Center in El Segundo before the team leaves for games on successive nights in Edmonton and Vancouver.

Smyth was placed on injured reserve Monday, essentially a bookkeeping move.

Helene Elliott

Rob Scuderi skates again, Jarret Stoll doesn't, call-ups coming

Kings defenseman Rob Scuderi, out since sustaining a lower-body injury on Nov. 14, skated Monday for the second straight day and was much improved, a team spokesman said.

However, center Jarret Stoll, injured late in the Kings' 5-2 loss to Calgary on Saturday, did not skate in the team's second straight lengthy practice. He's not sure if he will participate in Tuesday's practice before the Kings leave for games in Edmonton and Vancouver.

The Kings are expected to call up two players this afternoon from Manchester of the American Hockey League to ensure they have enough healthy bodies for their Canadian trip. General Manager Dean Lombardi was in Manchester last week to evaluate players, probably his favorite part of the job, so he has a fresh perspective on who's doing what for the Monarchs.

More later at www.latimes.com/sports

-- Helene Elliott

Photo: Rob Scuderi, right, battles Phoenix's Taylor Pyatt for the puck during a game on Nov. 2. Credit: Ross D. Franklin / Associated Press

Kings' Jarret Stoll injured; reinforcements might be on the way

Center Jarret Stoll didn't take part in the Kings' practice today because of an undisclosed lower-body injury he suffered during the last five minutes of Saturday's 5-2 loss to the Calgary Flames, a club spokesman said.

Stoll's status for Wednesday's game at Edmonton is unclear, but it's likely the Kings will call up someone from their Manchester farm team before they leave for their trip to Edmonton and Vancouver, Canada.

Defenseman Rob Scuderi, out since he sustained a lower-body injury Nov. 14, skated alone before the rest of the team today and might be able to play Wednesday.

-- Helene Elliott

Luc Robitaille makes a splash at L.A. City Hall

The Los Angeles City Council today honored former hockey great and L.A. Kings executive Luc Robitaille, praising his Hall of Fame career and the work he’s done for children and families in need both in Southern California and Hurricane Katrina-ravaged New Orleans.

Councilman Greig Smith thanked Robitaille not only for being one of the King’s most prolific scorers, but for working with at-risk children at an ice rink in the San Fernando Valley, saying he provided positive activities and alternatives they otherwise would not see.

"That’s what separates the great players from the not-so-great players. They’re willing to give back to the communities they worked in and are stars in," Smith said.

Robitaille played for the Kings for 14 of his 19 NHL seasons and during his career scored 668 goals and racked up 1,394 points, the most ever by a left wing in NHL history.

A ninth-round draft pick in 1984, he was inducted into the hockey Hall of Fame earlier this month.

"I was very fortunate to live my dream," the soft-spoken Robitaille told the council at City Hall after receiving an official proclamation from the city. “It’s been a great ride to live in Los Angeles."

Robitaille retired as a player in 2006 and now serves as the Kings’ president of business operations.

After receiving the City Council honor, Robitaille made another big splash at City Hall. He adopted the city’s “dog of the week,’’ a mutt from the city animal shelter that Councilman Herb Wesson brought in to encourage pet adoptions.

-- Phil Willon

Photo: Luc Robitaille today in a ceremony at the Hockey Hall of Fame. Credit: Courtesy of the Kings.

Luc Robitaille to be honored again; Alec Martinez sent to Manchester

Luc Robitaille, who was inducted into the hockey Hall of Fame last week, will get another honor Friday.

Robitaille, the Kings' president of business operations, is scheduled to receive a Los Angeles City resolution in Council from Councilman Bernard C. Parks at City Hall. The Kings will have their own celebration on Dec. 5, when they give away commemorative Robitaille bobbleheads to fans attending their game against St. Louis at Staples Center.

The next day, Robitaille will be honored again during a gala at Club Nokia, across the street from Staples Center. The gala will benefit the Echoes of Hope foundation, a charitable organization run by Robitaille and his wife, Stacia.

The Kings had a day off Thursday, but a minor personnel decision was announced. Defenseman Alec Martinez, who sprained his ankle in the season opener and disappeared after that, was activated off injured reserve and assigned to Manchester (N.H.) of the American Hockey League.

-- Helene Elliott

Photo: Luc Robitaille. Credit: Bruce Bennett / Getty Images

After two periods: Flyers 2, Kings 1

The Flyers scored twice in the second period to take a 2-1 lead, a period that also saw the game’s nastiness quotient rise. There were a lot of scrums and jabs and sneaky hits but no full-blown fights.

Philadelphia pulled even at 7:52 of the second period, and Kings goaltender Jonathan Quick peered up at the video replay screen to see what happened. The Flyers moved the puck quickly and well, from the left point to the right circle for a shot that was blocked but Mika Pyorala lunged and swatted the rebound in for his first goal this season and first of his NHL career.

The Kings got scrambly in their own end and paid for it at 18:55. Darroll Powe shanked his shot on a good opportunity but the Flyers maintained possession and got the puck to Mike Richards, who whipped a shot past a kneeling Quick at 18:55.
 

That left the Kings in the position of needing another rally. They entered this game with a record of 3-6-0 in previous games that they'd trailed after two periods, so they have come back in the third period before. But the Flyers this season have lost only one game in which they led after two periods, carrying a record of 10-0-1.

More later at www.latimes.come/sports

-- Helene Elliott

Kings 1, Flyers 0 after one at Staples Center

The first period was played at a decent pace and few stoppages. One of the rare halts came on a terrible goal allowed by Flyers goaltender Brian Boucher, the only score of the first period.

Dustin Brown got the primary assist on the goal, Jarret Stoll’s seventh of the season, and he paid heavily for it. Brown carried the puck from the neutral zone and into the Flyers’ end, where he was hit hard by Flyers defenseman Ryan Parent. Brown went down, but the puck squirted over to the right-wing boards to Stoll, who skated almost down to the goal line before taking a shot that slipped inside the left post at 14:53. It appeared to slither between Boucher's left leg and the post, but no matter how it got past him, it shouldn't have.

The Kings gained a two-man advantage at 18:22, when two Flyers were sent off following a scrum around the Philadelphia net. Kimmo Timonen was called for holding and Darroll Powe was penalized for cross-checking, giving the Kings a golden opportunity.

But they couldn’t capitalize, passing too much in search of the perfect shot instead of simply firing the puck at the net as Coach Terry Murray has been trying to drum into their heads. They had only one shot before the period ended, though they will have 22 more seconds’ power play time to start the second period.

The Kings had an 11-6 edge in shots over the first 20 minutes.

More later at www.latimes.com/sports

Helene Elliott 

Ryan Smyth could miss "up to a month" with upper-body injury; Frolov to replace him on top line

Bad news on the injury front for the Kings: top line left wing Ryan Smyth is expected to be out "up to a month" because of an upper-body injury, Coach Terry Murray said after Wednesday's game-day skate.

Smyth was injured during the second period of the Kings' 4-3 shootout victory over Florida on Monday and didn't play in the third period. He was examined when the team returned, and Murray said the verdict was that the rugged left wing will be out about four weeks.

Alexander Frolov will replace Smyth against the Flyers tonight, alongside Anze Kopitar and Justin Williams. Defenseman Rob Scuderi will miss his second straight game because of a lower-body injury, but Murray said Scuderi is progressing and his status is day to day.

Not so for Smyth, who ranked 12th in the NHL scoring race through Tuesday's games with nine goals and 23 points. Even more important, he has energized Kopitar, who leads the NHL with 32 points. Smyth's presence around the net has drawn Kopitar to the net, and that will be missed.

"It's very unfortunate that you lose a player that's an important player for your team that's going to be out up to that length of time," Murray said. "But you know what? You take a look around the league, there's all kinds of injuries to top players and you've got to deal with it. It's part of the game. It's an opportunity for Fro right now.... Take advantage of it and hope he plays very well there.

"We've seen his play in the past with Kopitar and they've had good chemistry together so hopefully they'll come together right away."

Williams said he played with Frolov and Kopitar at the end of last season and didn't anticipate a major adjustment.

"Kind of a similar player to Smitty," Williams said. "Works hard in the corners...We have enough depth on this team that it shouldn't be a problem scoring goals. I know Frolov and myself are looking to put more pucks in the net and hopefully maybe we can spark something right away here and get something jumping as far as goals and getting some secondary scoring.

"This is the name of the game. You get injuries, you fill in. This is where other guys fill the void. We need to fill the void of Ryan's 20-some-odd points and keep charging ahead and try and catch San Jose."

The lines will be: Frolov-Kopitar-Williams; Scott Parse-Jarret Stoll-Dustin Brown; Teddy Purcell-Michal Handzus-Wayne Simmonds; and Raitis Ivanans-Brad Richardson-Peter Harrold.

More later at www.latimes.com/sports

Helene Elliott