Security Spares No One

Felix Potvin did not object Tuesday night when a security guard outside the players’ entrance at Staples Center asked him to empty his pockets and raise his arms so a handheld metal-detecting wand could be waved over him.

Not even the goaltending hero of the Kings’ late-season resurgence last spring was spared the tighter security measures in place at Staples Center in the wake of last week’s terrorist attacks in New York and Arlington, Va.

Security personnel working the Mighty Ducks’ 3-1 exhibition victory over the Kings were under orders to check everybody entering the building.

“Even the owner himself,” a guard working the players’ entrance said.

Philip Anschutz, majority owner of the Kings and the arena, was not in attendance, but everybody who passed through the doors was subject to the same checks: a security wand waved over them and their bags searched.

Dave Taylor, the Kings’ general manager, was searched. The players were searched. Game officials, announcers, even on-duty police officers were searched. And, of course, so was everybody in the crowd of 13,196.

“It gives you a sense of relief that they’re preventing stuff,” Potvin said, “but it’s a pretty weird feeling that when you go to a hockey game you get checked like that. I’ve never seen that before, but everybody’s cautious right now.”

Unlike in the past, the King players were not allowed to drive their cars down the tunnel leading into the arena. They left them with a valet up top.

“Everybody is subjected to this now,” King defenseman Philippe Boucher said of the tightened security. “It should be done, especially after what’s happened. I don’t mind it at all. I came to the [Madonna] concert the other day and they did the same thing. If they all do this, I’ll feel pretty safe on the ice.”

When the Ducks arrived, they were stopped and the storage compartments in their bus inspected before they were waved through a gate. Once inside, each member of the traveling party was subjected to security checks. No one complained.

“I was a little surprised they were checking the players,” Duck winger Jim Cummins said. “This is something they have to do now. When you look at it, a sporting event could be a target, so I’m really glad they’re doing this.”

Duck goalie Jean-Sebastien Giguere was scratched from Tuesday’s game after re-injuring his groin. He did not practice Tuesday morning with the players who were sitting out the game against the Kings.

Giguere, who has been slowed by the injury during training camp, said he felt a twinge in his groin while skating during Monday’s practice. Scott Shields, competing with Giguere for the No. 1 goalie job, started against the Kings.

“There is no need to go out there and play if I’m not 100%,” Giguere said. “This is just a little setback. There is no need to panic.”

It was unclear when he will return.

The Ducks had 51 penalty minutes in their 4-1 loss to Phoenix, which included two penalties for too many men on the ice.

“I asked the referee about it and he said they were calling line changes and diving tighter,” Duck Coach Bryan Murray said. “The line changes have gotten out of hand. I just wish they had told us about it before the game.”

The Kings were called for too many men on the ice in Tuesday’s game, which led to a power-play goal by the Ducks’ Oleg Tverdovsky.

King center Steve Kelley underwent abdominal surgery to repair a hernia Tuesday and is expected to be sidelined at least six weeks.