Stumpel’s Return Could Shake Team’s Recent Slump

There was a familiar look at practice Monday at Staples Center when Jozef Stumpel centered a line that included wingers Luc Robitaille and Ziggy Palffy.

The season started that way. It also started with a 4-1 record, that line accumulating 22 points.

Success has been more limited since, and all three have been on injured reserve at various times, but barring the unforeseen, they will be reunited Wednesday night at San Jose.

That’s when Stumpel, his sports hernia surgically repaired, rejoins Robitaille and Palffy.

“I am 100%,” said Stumpel, who relishes practice and games as an escape from the boredom of rehabilitation. “I don’t know [if success will come] right away. It’s going to take a little while, but we’d like to do it right away.”

Robitaille is more succinct.

“We don’t have any choice,” he said of the line’s need to spark the Kings, who will be trying to end a three-game losing streak.

“We need to get it going right away.”

Guardedly, Coach Andy Murray agreed.

“We need all three of the guys to play at a higher level for us to be successful,” he said.

Robitaille has struggled in the eight games since he returned after rehabilitating a broken bone in his foot, with one goal and two assists. So has Palffy, since missing time because of back problems that persist. He has one goal in the three games.

Stumpel is seen as the key.

“Hopefully, I can help us to stop our streak right now,” he said.

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Dan Bylsma’s trip to Long Beach was a short one, and he was reunited with the Kings on Monday. Bylsma brought along defenseman Jere Karalahti.

Both figure to be insurance Wednesday night at San Jose, as does Bill Huard, a rugged forward called up from Lowell because “we didn’t like being pushed around by Chicago,” according to Murray.

Huard played for Lowell on Sunday night--”He had a pretty good fight,” Murray said--and will join the Kings today.