Getzlaf, Perry Seek a Long Stay

Seemingly linked together since they were selected by the Mighty Ducks in the first round of the 2003 draft, rookie forwards Ryan Getzlaf and Corey Perry were recalled Sunday with the same goal in mind -- staying in Anaheim for good.

Getzlaf and Perry made the team out of training camp with stellar play during the exhibition season but both found that their first full taste of the NHL wasn’t always sweet.

With the Ducks mired in an eight-game skid and their minutes dwindling by the game, the 20-year-olds were sent to the minor leagues Nov. 21 as a means of getting more seasoning.

“We just tried to go down there with a positive attitude,” Getzlaf said Monday. “That’s what we do and we played as much as could down there.”

They made the most of their time with the Portland Pirates of the American Hockey League. Perry had a 17-game point-scoring streak and 16 goals and 18 assists in 19 games. Getzlaf nearly equaled his linemate’s production with eight goals and 25 assists in 17 games.

Against the Kings on Monday night, the two had a part in the Ducks’ first goal, with Getzlaf netting his first as a Duck since Nov. 12 and his fifth this season.

“It definitely helps your confidence, that’s for sure,” Perry said. “When you’re putting up points and playing a lot of minutes, it helps.”

The original objective, General Manager Brian Burke said, was to let the two remain in Portland, Maine, for the remainder of the season in the hope that they would be ready to be full-time players next season.

But with the trade of Petr Sykora and the lingering concussion-related injury to Rob Niedermayer, the Ducks were short of forwards.

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With Monday’s announced return of left wing Jeff Cowan, who has been absent from the starting lineup since injuring a hamstring Dec. 10 against the Florida Panthers, the Kings get back some needed experience. But at the same time, right wing Dustin Brown went on the injured reserve list, retroactive to Jan. 3, because of a bruised chest.

“Cowan gives us a veteran who brings physicality [to the game],” Coach Andy Murray said.

Cowan, who has appeared in 278 NHL games, replaces Petr Kanko, who was called up from the Manchester Monarchs of the AHL on Dec. 16 and had played in only nine games.

But Murray was upbeat about Brown, saying that both the right winger and defenseman Mike Weaver, who went on the injured reserve last week because of a hip injury, are close to being reactivated.

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In evaluating the impact of the players that have been brought up from Manchester, the Kings’ minor league affiliate, Murray said, “I think that the results have been good.

“I would say our second-best unit is Connor James and Noah Clarke with Matty Ryan and Jeff Giuliano.

“Just look at our second unit. We played those guys at the end of the game [Saturday night against San Jose] because they deserved it.”

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The Kings’ Pavol Demitra, who sat out a second game because of a deep bruise in his right leg, underwent an MRI exam and was re-examined by Dr. Ronald Kvitne on Monday. Results of the tests were negative and Demitra will continue his current treatment. He is listed as day to day.

King defenseman Lubomir Visnovsky was examined after Monday’s game for what were believed to be concussion-like symptoms. Visnovsky took a hit in the second period but played throughout the third period.

“I’m fine,” Visnovsky said. “I just got hit.”

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Times staff writer Chris Foster contributed to this report.