Mair Is Coming Back Tonight a Little Wiser

Adam Mair, eligible to play for the Kings tonight after serving a 10-game suspension for leaving the bench last month during a fight, was talking to reporters Monday about his return when teammate Kelly Buchberger interrupted.

“I lost a lot of money because I was dumb,” the Kings’ oldest player instructed the rookie to say. “Don’t forget to throw that in.”

Mair, 22, wouldn’t go that far but he did say that it is unlikely he will repeat his actions of Dec. 20, when he jumped off the bench to join a brawl against the Ottawa Senators, earning an automatic suspension from the league.

“I would imagine that I would think twice about doing something like that again in terms of [the repercussions],” he said. “But you never know, in the heat of the moment, when you’re playing and things are happening fast.

“It’s a game of reactions. But it would have to be something very extreme to see something like that again.”

Though he was ineligible to play, Mair took up a roster spot and continued practicing with the Kings, even taking trips.

Still, he said, it was frustrating.

“It’s been long,” he said. “As a hockey player, you want to play games. That’s your job and that’s what you love doing....

“It’s awesome to be back and to get an opportunity to play and do all those things you take for granted when you’re in the lineup all the time.”

TONIGHT

vs. Nashville, 7:30

Fox Sports Net

Site--Staples Center.

Radio--KSPN (1110).

Records--Kings 19-17-7-2, Predators 16-21-8-0.

Record vs. Predators--1-0-1.

Update--Jason Allison, who sat out Monday’s practice because of flu, scored an unassisted goal with 11:19 to play on Dec. 11 to give the Kings a 1-1 tie at Nashville, part of an 11-3-3 run that put the Kings back in the playoff race. The Kings, 8-8-3-1 at home, play five of their next six games at Staples Center.

Tickets--(888) 546-4752.

Jerry Crowe