Cloutier works his way back

Goaltender Dan Cloutier won his second start in a row against the Sharks on Monday, though he waited nearly a week to get it. Cloutier spent the time working with goaltender consultant Bill Ranford.

“I have felt good in practice,” said Cloutier, who played in only 13 games last season because of a knee injury. “I want to start feeling good in games.... I figured it would take me 10 games to really get back to where I was before. It’s time for me to start playing like I know how to play.”

The Kings held the Sharks to 18 shots, but Cloutier seemed to have a little rust, giving up two soft goals in the victory.

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Coach Marc Crawford still is struggling to assimilate to life south of the Canadian border. After practice Sunday, Kings’ players were monitoring NFL games on the big-screen TV in the dressing room. Crawford, meanwhile, was in his small office, watching the Toronto Argonauts play the Montreal Alouettes in a Canadian Football League playoff game.

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Oleg Tverdovsky, according to the Kings, suffered a groin strain in Monday’s game and will be reevaluated today.

chris.foster@latimes.com