LA Kings: Injury updates, line rushes from practice

“Forever…forever…forever.” I hear Squints Palledorous from The Sandlot when thinking about this extended four-day break for the LA Kings. We’re all missing some hockey!

For a team that’s on such a heater, going 8-0-2 in their last ten games, a break in the action could be hard to endure. But with the number of injuries that have hampered the Kings of late, maybe it’s coming at the best time.

Injury updates

LA hit the ice again for practice Friday morning and we got some positive news on the said injury front.

• Defenseman Sean Durzi, who has been out since March 6 after taking a hard hit from TJ Oshie of the Washington Capitals, shed his red non-contact jersey Friday and donned a black sweater.
• Kevin Fiala hasn’t practiced with the team since leaving the March 9 game in Colorado after a collision with Andrew Cogliano but was able to rejoin the team in a red non-contact jersey for the first time since sustaining the lower-body injury.

Practice just getting underway here at TSPC and one of the first players on the ice is Kevin Fiala in a red ‘non-contact’ jersey.#GoKingsGo pic.twitter.com/Aji5TzVSLl

— Russell Morgan (@NHLRussell) March 24, 2023

• Gabe Vilardi left the game on Monday at home against Calgary after a rough ride along the corner boards, and missed practice Wednesday, but also rejoined the team for Friday’s run in a regular white sweater and took line rushes in his usual spot on the third line.

Line rushes

I’m expecting the LA Kings to line up similarly to what we saw in the last game against the Calgary Flames on Monday. With Sean Durzi back in a regular sweater, I wouldn’t be surprised if he gets in one of the back-to-back this weekend. But the rushes at practice indicated that might not come till Sunday.

Byfield – Kopitar – Kempe
Moore – Danault – Arvidsson
Iafallo – Lizotte – Vilardi
Grundstrom – Kupari – MacEwen

Extras: Anderson-Dolan, Kaliyev, Fiala (red)

Anderson – Doughty
Gavrikov – Roy
Edler – Walker

Extras: Durzi, Spence

It’s a Saturday matinee at Crypto.com Arena with the LA Kings taking on the Winnipeg Jets at 1:00 pm PT.

Featured Image Credit: (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)