Kings say Willie Mitchell has no break or fracture

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X-rays taken of defenseman Willie Mitchell, who was injured during the Kings’ 4-1 victory over Nashville on Saturday night, showed no break or fracture, but he will undergo an MRI exam on Monday, a team spokesman said.

Mitchell, off to a fine start with the Kings, played only two shifts in the second period after suffering what the club called an upper-body injury. It’s believed he injured an arm. Coach Terry Murray said after Saturday’s game that he had not seen the play because it happened on the far side of the ice. The X-rays were done after the game.

The Kings, who have won four straight games and five of their last six, don’t play again until Thursday, when they face the Dallas Stars at Staples Center. That should give Mitchell some extra time to heal.

Players were involved in the annual Tip-a-King charity event on Sunday and were also given a day off from practice on Monday. Their next scheduled practice is Tuesday at the Toyota Sports Center in El Segundo.

Between now and the Kings’ next game, Murray and General Manager Dean Lombardi will have to decide whether they’ll keep rookies Brayden Schenn and Kyle Clifford or return the two 19-year-olds to their respective junior teams. Clifford played his ninth game Saturday, reaching the limit before his contract would kick in. Schenn, scratched the last two games, has played eight games.

Initially it seemed likely that Schenn would stay and Clifford would go back, but Clifford has been playing more lately and earning praise from Murray for his grit and fearlessness. Schenn hasn’t been playing and Murray has spoken about Schenn’s need to work on the defensive end of his game.

-- Helene Elliott