Back Injury Forces Blake Out

The Kings learned Monday that Rob Blake probably would not be playing during this week’s three-game trip.

A CT scan showed that Blake had suffered a hairline break in a lumbar vertebra. His status is called “week to week,” but he was not put on injured reserve.

“It’s the kind of thing that you can play with as soon as you can deal with the pain,” Coach Andy Murray said. “We’re thinking he probably won’t join us on this trip, but you don’t know.”

The Kings play Nashville, St. Louis and Dallas before returning home over the weekend.

Blake proved he could play with pain by skating 26 shifts totaling 26 minutes 54 seconds in Sunday night’s 6-5 loss to Phoenix. He had two assists.

He had suffered the injury in the third period of Friday night’s 5-0 victory over Boston when he was elbowed in the back by a Bruin. X-rays were negative and a bruise was suspected until the pain got worse Sunday night and he had the scan Monday morning.

The Kings know it won’t be easy without Blake. “We have to look at it that way when we lose the player we think is the best defenseman in the NHL,” Murray said, pointing out that the Kings were 6-0 without Blake last spring while he nursed a knee injury.

Aki Berg will pair with Mathieu Schneider on defense when play is five-on-five in tonight’s game against the Predators. Jere Karalahti becomes Schneider’s partner for the power play.

The Kings recalled rookie Andreas Lilja from Lowell of the AHL. To make room for him on the roster, Stu Grimson was put on injured reserve with a hand problem that has nagged him since he cut it during a fight with Colorado’s Scott Parker in an exhibition.

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Steve Passmore will start in goal for the Kings tonight, and a good game will keep him on the ice.

King goalie Jamie Storr was removed at 9:17 of the second period Sunday after giving up four goals in 11 shots. Passmore gave up two goals in 10 shots the rest of the way.

“Jamie’s going to have to work hard in practice to get back in there,” Murray said.

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Dave Taylor, the Kings’ senior vice president and general manager, met with holdout center Jozef Stumpel on Monday to discuss contract proposal differences. Stumpel’s agent was not present, according to a source close to the negotiations.

TONIGHT

at Nashville, 5 PDT

Fox Sports Net

* Site--Gaylord Entertainment Center.

* Radio--KRLA (1110).

* Records--Kings 3-2-1, Predators 3-1-0.

* Record vs. Predators (1999-2000)--3-1.

* Update--Nashville is off to the best start in the franchise’s short history. The Predators have scored only nine goals in four games, but have won three on strong work in goal by Tomas Vokoun and Mike Dunham.