Kings’ Jack Johnson questionable for game at Boston

Reporting from Boston — 

Defenseman Jack Johnson, who missed the third period of the Kings’ 4-1 victory at Columbus on Thursday because of a sore arm, practiced lightly Friday and is questionable for the Kings’ game at Boston today.

“Nothing too serious, but it’s a pain right now,” said Johnson, who was injured when he got caught in the middle of a hit leveled by teammate Wayne Simmonds on Columbus’ Jared Boll.

Johnson didn’t shoot or pass as normal on Friday. However, he said he didn’t think it will be a lingering problem and added that if the Kings were facing a decisive playoff game he would be in the lineup.

“It’s going to take a few days before I feel good again. Hopefully it feels good sooner than later,” he said before the team boarded its charter flight to chilly Boston.

Asked if he will play, he said he won’t know until today. “I’d like to think so but I’ve got to make the smart decision long-term. Hopefully I can, but we’ll see.

“I didn’t do any shooting just because I’m not worried about practice, I’m worried about the games. There’s no sense in pushing it.”

If he can’t go, he probably will be replaced by Davis Drewiske, who hasn’t played since he sustained an upper-body injury Jan. 4. Coach Terry Murray said he doesn’t want Drewiske playing back-to-back games, so if Johnson can’t play Sunday at New Jersey there would be an opening for Randy Jones to return. Jones has been a healthy scratch for the last four games.

Kopitar is on his game

Anze Kopitar had a great start this season on the first line with Ryan Smyth and Justin Williams, collecting 32 points in his first 22 games. But when left wing Smyth suffered a rib injury, Kopitar disappeared. The loss of Williams to an ankle injury deepened Kopitar’s slump. It took Kopitar only 12 games to score his first 10 goals, but he needed 39 games to score his next 10.

After going through an assortment of wingers, Kopitar has clicked with scrappy Brad Richardson on the left and smart, solid Simmonds on the right. Kopitar’s two-goal game against Columbus gave him six goals and 14 points in his last 12 games and put him back to the level he reached earlier this season.

“I think he personally is playing as well, absolutely,” Murray said. “He’s skating, he wants the puck and he has the puck on his stick. He’s attacking hard through the middle of the ice, challenging defensemen, and that’s the stuff we saw in the early part of the year.

“I think no question, when you go through the early part of the year and you lose both your wingers at different times, it definitely messes up chemistry. The two guys that are there right now, there’s new energy.

“They’re working very hard, trying to play hard for each other and two young guys who are trying to show the coaching staff that they’re responsible players, they’re capable of playing on a higher line and that elevates everybody and that certainly has brought Kopi back to life, in my opinion.”

That’s not the first time Murray has called Richardson and Simmonds “young guys,” even though they’re close in age to the 22-year-old Kopitar. Richardson is actually older -- he will be 25 next week -- and Simmonds is a year and two days younger.

“Expectations are much higher, so we look at him as much more of a veteran player,” Murray said of Kopitar.

Slow, and slower

Matt Greene’s goal Thursday had a great effect on the Kings, who were being outshot 11 to 2 and were relying too heavily on goaltender Jonathan Quick.

But it won’t have much effect on the scoring race between Greene and Sean O’Donnell.

Neither is counted upon for offensive production, and a goal or point by either one is rare. Each has two goals this season, but O’Donnell declared their competition over.

“We’re tied in goals, but I think I’m three or four points ahead of him. It’s done,” said O’Donnell, who has 10 points and is three ahead of Greene.

“A four-point lead is insurmountable with Greenie with only 30 games left to play. A mere 30. The game’s done, unless he gets hot.”

Even Greene doesn’t think that’s likely. “Not a chance,” he said of passing O’Donnell’s point total. “I need the preseason and the full playoff to get four points.”

O’Donnell, incidentally, was said to be questionable for the game after he awoke from his afternoon nap feeling dizzy and lightheaded. However, he was able to play and clocked 21 minutes, 29 seconds. Among defensemen, he trailed only Rob Scuderi (23:51) and Drew Doughty (21:49)

Knowing the Kings were on a winning streak and had a chance to strengthen their hold on a playoff spot made him feel good enough to play.

“I think last night Quickie did a great job the first eight or 10 minutes holding the fort and made some really good saves,” O’Donnell said. “We were a little flat but give them credit. They came out the first 10 minutes and really took it to us, and then we were able to get a couple goals there and that seemed to quiet them down. They were a little flat after that.

“I don’t think we played a perfect game or a great game by any means. We played a good, solid road game, weathered the storm and played a good 50-minute game.”

Slap Shots

Murray said Quick will start in goal against Boston and said he hadn’t decided if Quick will also play on Sunday at New Jersey or if he will switch to Erik Ersberg.

A mistake by the game-night officials Thursday cheated the Kings of a 28-second power play against the Blue Jackets. They gained a two-man advantage in the third period after Mike Commodore was sent off at 7:27 and Samuel Pahlsson went to the penalty box at 7:34, and Kopitar scored at 9:26. That should have wiped out only the first penalty but not the second, yet the officials let Pahlsson out of the box too.

The goal was classified on the score sheet as having been scored on a five-on-four power play, but it was corrected Friday to designate that it was scored during a five-on-three power play. Murray said he eventually got an explanation.

“There was a mistake made by the off-ice officials. The referees came over later in the game and kind of apologized,” he said.

But the 28 seconds of power-play time vanished and won’t be included in the Kings’ power-play attempts.

helene.elliott@latimes.com

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