Ivanans has ‘Terminator’ approach to his return

The left side of his face has been surgically reinforced and then some, with four plates, and that means Kings enforcer Raitis Ivanans might require a new nickname.

“Terminator,” he said.

But that doesn’t mean he’ll set off the machines going through security at airports, not that the Kings will be flying commercial any time soon.

“Everyone says that there would be beeping,” he said. “But it’s titanium.”

Ivanans returned to practice Sunday in El Segundo and will travel with the team for a two-game trip before Thanksgiving starting tonight in Dallas. But it appears his return to the lineup won’t be Wednesday at Phoenix. It may be Saturday at San Jose. Or, Sunday against the host Ducks and Chris Pronger.

Ivanans returned home from several hours of facial surgery on Tuesday night and turned on his TV just in time to catch overtime and was none too pleased to watch Pronger pummel Kings forward Michal Handzus.

“He’s always doing cheap stuff like that,” Ivanans said. “I’m kind of sick of that, seeing Pronger be that guy.”

A face shield, which he’ll need to wear for four weeks, won’t necessarily stop him from throwing down in the heat of the moment, he said. Ivanans suffered a broken cheekbone after getting hit by a Rob Blake slap shot on Nov. 2 at San Jose.

“I can still be physical,” he said. “Who knows? You never know, the mask will go off and I’ll drop my gloves.”

Michael Cammalleri, who was fine Sunday and practiced, described the pain of a shot that hit a nerve as it went off his left ankle in the third period Saturday against Phoenix: “It was like a sledgehammer.”

Cammalleri agreed with goalie Jason LaBarbera that it might be the right time to hit the road. The Kings, who have won once in their last five games, play their next five games away from Staples Center.

“At times you almost feel a little stale at home,” Cammalleri said.

Kings Coach Marc Crawford spoke of Derek Armstrong, who hasn’t scored in 19 games, has eight assists and is facing the possibility of being dropped from the power play’s second unit.

“He needs to be generating more than he is right now there’s no doubt about that,” Crawford said, adding that Armstrong was working hard and was conscientious. “Right now, he is squeezing his stick too tight.”

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TONIGHT

at Dallas, 5:30 PST, FSN West

Radio -- 1150.

Site -- American Airlines Center.

Records -- Kings 8-10-1, Stars 8-7-4.

Record vs. Stars -- 2-1.

Update -- The casualties were fast and furious after the last meeting between the Stars and Kings. Recap: The Stars blew a 4-0 third-period lead at Staples Center, and lost 6-5 in overtime on Nov. 10; and on Tuesday, general manager Doug Armstrong was replaced by Les Jackson and Brett Hull, who are sharing the position on an interim basis. A day later, team president Jim Lites was moved aside for Jeff Cogen, who was brought over from the Texas Rangers.

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lisa.dillman@latimes.com