Miller, Cammalleri to Make Their Debuts

One familiar and one not, two players will join the Kings’ lineup for the first time this season for tonight’s game against the Ottawa Senators.

Veteran defenseman Aaron Miller, who sat out training camp and the season’s first 13 games after abdominal surgery, will make his season debut at the Corel Centre while rookie center Michael Cammalleri makes his NHL debut.

Miller, 31, had targeted this date for weeks -- it comes eight weeks to the day since his surgery -- while Cammalleri, 20, was a lot less certain.

One of the last players cut in training camp, the highly touted Cammalleri remained with the Kings’ American Hockey League team in Manchester, N.H., while first Derek Armstrong and later Steve Kelly were recalled by the Kings.

Cammalleri finally got the call Wednesday night. While Kelly was headed back to Manchester, Cammalleri awoke Thursday at 5 a.m., took a cab to Boston for a flight to Ottawa and arrived just before practice, devouring an energy bar before stepping onto the ice at the Corel Centre.

“I hoped that I could go down there and work hard and be back here soon,” Cammalleri said, “so I’m excited about the chance.”

He is expected to play on the No. 1 line with Ziggy Palffy and Adam Deadmarsh. “He’s here because we need him,” Coach Andy Murray said. “He’s here because we expect him to help us. And if he helps us, he’ll stay.”

Miller’s return definitely should help. A U.S. Olympian in Salt Lake City, he and captain Mattias Norstrom were the Kings’ top defensemen last season. “I haven’t played a hockey game in six months, so it’s going to be trial by error,” he said.

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TONIGHT

at Ottawa, 4 PST

Site -- Corel Centre.

Radio -- KSPN (1110).

Records -- Kings 6-4-2-1, Senators 5-4-1-0.

Record vs. Senators (2001-02) -- 1-0-1.

Update -- Continuing their eight-game trip, the Kings begin a stretch of five consecutive games against Canadian teams.