Blake Likely to Sit Out Game

There has been concern about how much longer Rob Blake would remain a King. Now the more immediate problem is a shoulder injury he sustained late in the overtime of Tuesday night’s 3-3 tie with the Chicago Blackhawks.

After tests Wednesday, Blake, who hit the boards hard during his last shift of the night, was listed as doubtful for the Kings’ game against the Carolina Hurricanes tonight at Staples Center.

As for his status regarding an expected trade, that is still up in the air. General Manager Dave Taylor left on a seven-day trip Tuesday, going first on a scouting trip to Calgary, then to Sweden for an international junior hockey tournament and finally making a visit to the Kings’ affiliate in Berlin.

Coach Andy Murray, left behind, quipped: “I don’t make trades, that’s Dave’s department, although I was ready to trade about 19 players last night.”

Murray was upset with his team after it failed to hold a 3-1 lead against the Blackhawks, and he put them through a short but strenuous workout Wednesday.

“I didn’t use a whip and a chair, but it was 34 tough minutes,” he said.

Before the players went onto the ice at HealthSouth Training Center in El Segundo, they met with Murray.

“I made myself known on how I feel about the team and about individual players,” he said. “We need to be a better team. We’re doing well in just about every statistical category except the most important one--team points.”

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Luc Robitaille, who scored his team-leading 26th goal of the season Tuesday night, has 60 points and is tied for fifth in scoring in the NHL with teammate Ziggy Palffy. The Kings and the Pittsburgh Penguins are the only teams in the NHL with two players with at least 60 points.

. . . Palffy had stomach flu Wednesday and missed practice. Eric Belanger was excused because of back spasms.

TONIGHT

vs. Carolina, 7:30

* Site--Staples Center.

* Radio--KSPN (1110).

* Records--Kings 23-21-8-1, Hurricanes 24-20-6-2.

* Update--The Hurricanes, who edged Phoenix, 2-1, in overtime Wednesday night, are in ninth place in the Eastern Conference and vying for a playoff spot. The Kings are in the same spot in the West. The last time these team met, on Jan. 20 at Raleigh, N.C., the Kings won, 6-3. At the time the Hurricanes were one of the hottest teams in the NHL. The loss to the Kings ended a nine-game unbeaten string for the Hurricanes.

* Tickets--(888) 546-4752.