Kings’ Michal Handzus won’t play Sunday

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Greetings from Denver, where there’s no snow! The last time the Kings played here, March 24, a fierce snowstorm dropped about a foot of snow on the city and even more in the suburbs. All seems clear now.

After the team landed in Denver, the public-relations department told us that center Michal Handzus had not made the trip and won’t play against the Avalanche in Sunday’s season finale. According to a team spokesman, Coach Terry Murray gave Handzus a therapy day.

Couldn’t we all use one...

Sunday’s game will be the Kings’ last chance to tie the club record of 46 wins in a season, set in 1990-91, and to reach 100 points for only the third time in club history. The 1974-75 team had 105 points and the 1990-91 squad had 102.

We’ll see if Murray puts Jonathan Quick back in for a ninth attempt at winning 40 games in a season. Murray initially said Erik Ersberg would start against Colorado but indicated after the Kings’ 4-3 shootout loss to Edmonton on Saturday that he felt it was important for Quick and the team to get a solid victory before the playoffs started.

The NHL is expected to announce the full playoff schedule late Sunday evening, probably not before 7 p.m. Pacific time.

More Sunday at www.latimes.com/sports

-- Helene Elliott in Denver