Kings’ Hrudey Unlikely for Opener

The Kings are preparing to begin the season without No. 1 goaltender Kelly Hrudey, who continues to be bothered by a sprained left ankle.

Hrudey suffered the injury just before training camp opened in September and won’t be traveling with the Kings to their final two exhibitions at Dallas on Monday and Sacramento on Tuesday. He had wanted to play in at least one exhibition game before the regular season.

What are the chances of him starting?

“I would say suspect,” King General Manager Sam McMaster said. “If he can’t play we can put him on injured reserve, but he has to stay there a minimum of seven days.”

Which means either Byron Dafoe or rookie Jamie Storr would start the opener Saturday against Colorado. Storr weighed in with his bid in a 5-2 victory over the Mighty Ducks on Saturday night before an announced crowd of 11,413 at the Forum.

Storr, who opposed a team of mostly frontline Ducks, faced 35 shots and made 33 saves. Friday night, Dafoe looked impressive as the Kings defeated Calgary, 6-3, in San Diego.

Forward Tony Granato had two goals for the Kings on Saturday. Also scoring was right wing John Druce, rookie Vitali Yachmenev and center Yanic Perreault, who has four goals in his last two games.

Defenseman Jason York and left wing Todd Krygier scored for the Ducks, both on the power play.

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King Notes

The Ducks and Kings--because they missed the playoffs--will pick in the top seven of Monday’s NHL waiver draft, which starts at 8 a.m.

Anaheim has the third pick and the Kings will select seventh. Each club may protect 18 skaters and two goaltenders. Left unprotected by the Ducks are right wingers Patrik Carnback and Steven King, defensemen Jason Marshall, Don McSween and Alain Deeks, center Jarrod Skalde and goaltender Mike O’Neill.

Those left unprotected by the Kings are defensemen Arto Blomsten, Rob Cowie, Chris Snell and Justin Hocking and forwards Ken McRae and Gary Shuchuk.