Kings’ Christian Ehrhoff shaken up by hit but feels better
Kings’ Christian Ehrhoff, left, turns away from a check by Nashville Predators’ Eric Nystrom during the first period at Staples Center on Saturday.
Given his injury history, Kings defenseman Christian Ehrhoff was relieved to have escaped without any serious damage from what he called a “dirty play” by the Nashville Predators’ Mike Ribeiro.
Ehrhoff left Saturday’s game and did not return after the incident late in the second period, which resulted in a boarding minor to Ribeiro. The Kings defenseman said he had a stiff neck but felt better and took part in Sunday’s practice before the team departed for Chicago.
The Kings are on a seven-game winning streak and will make a quick trip through the Central Division, at Chicago on Monday night and at St. Louis on Tuesday. Chicago (6-5) is 5-1 at home.
The affable Ehrhoff, who had an assist on Tyler Toffoli’s power-play goal in the second period, was clearly disturbed by the hit.
“It’s always scary, those things,” he said. “The first little while you don’t really know where it’s going. But later in the night, it seemed it wasn’t really something bad.
“I came in, I made a reverse play and was in a vulnerable position at that time. He just finished the check through with full force. It’s just a dirty play.”
Was he surprised there was no suggestion of supplemental discipline?
“That’s nothing in my hand,” Ehrhoff said. “It was a check, straight to the numbers. That’s something the league wants to take out of the game. I’ll leave it at that.”
Kings Coach Darryl Sutter naturally had his own twist on the proceedings.
“He [Ehrhoff] should be fresh,” Sutter said. “He only played a few minutes in the last week. So he should be really good for the next two. ... It’s part of the game. You get hit.”
Ehrhoff’s list of injuries includes a concerning concussion history. He suffered two of them last season with the Pittsburgh Penguins, limiting his action to 49 games.
His ability to play the left and right side has meant Ehrhoff’s versatility has been tested in the first 10 games.
“It seems like everywhere I’ve been, I’ve always [been] playing with a lot of partners,” he said. “It’s something I’m used to. For me, I felt yesterday I was playing better and that’s something for me to build on.
“I haven’t really gotten going the first 10 games where I want to be.”
The Kings made it official and recalled defenseman Derek Forbort on Sunday from their American Hockey League affiliate in Ontario. Forbort has played in two games this season with the Kings. Veteran defenseman Matt Greene remains on injured reserve.
Drought deepens
The questions were about the Kings’ reliance on one line — the trio of Milan Lucic-Jeff Carter-Toffoli — and turned into a discussion about center Anze Kopitar.
Kopitar has three goals in 10 games and no assists. He is a plus-five, and Sutter placed some of the blame on his wingers, saying they haven’t been “up to par.”
“I’ll just continue until somebody looks like they’re hot,” Sutter said. “It’s hard to believe, we’re 10 games in, you got guys that have zero or one goal. It tells you, it goes back to what I said, you have to have a good foundation to win hockey games in this league.
“You get it from different ways until guys that are supposed to, do.”
Kings tonight
at Chicago
When: 5:30 p.m. PST
On the air: TV: FS West. Radio: 790.
Etc: It appears as though the Blackhawks’ Marian Hossa (lower-body injury) is not expected to play against the Kings, according to reports in Chicago. Hossa, who was injured in Friday’s loss to Minnesota, did not practice Sunday.
Twitter: @reallisa
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