Top Prospect Facing Assault Charges

One of the Kings’ most highly regarded prospects was charged with sexually assaulting and attacking a woman Wednesday morning in Boston, where the club’s top minor league team was celebrating rookie initiation night.

Joe Corvo, a 6-foot-1, 200-pound defenseman who was MVP last season of the Kings’ American Hockey League team at Manchester, N.H., pleaded not guilty to the felony charges at his arraignment in Boston Municipal Court.

Corvo, 25, is accused of grabbing a female patron’s buttocks at a downtown restaurant and lounge about 1:30 a.m., the Suffolk County District Attorney’s office spokesman told the Manchester Union-Leader.

Corvo was asked to leave the restaurant but returned a short time later and punched the 34-year-old Boston woman in the face, the police complaint said. The woman collapsed to the floor, where Corvo kicked her several times before fleeing to a nearby pub, police said.

Corvo was arrested and charged with one count each of indecent assault and battery on a person at least 14 years old, assault and battery with a dangerous weapon, his foot, and assault and battery. Freed on $5,000 cash bail after his arraignment, he is scheduled to return to court for a pretrial conference Nov. 25.

If convicted of the indecent assault charge, Corvo could face up to five years in state prison. If convicted of assault and battery with a dangerous weapon, he could face up to 10 years in state prison.

King General Manager Dave Taylor declined comment, but the club issued a statement.

“The Kings and Monarchs wish to state that we hold our athletes to a strict code of conduct and expect them to act professionally and responsibly both on and off the ice,” the statement read in part. “Our respective organizations will be proactive in gathering the relevant facts as they become known and any disciplinary action that may stem from this will be an internal matter.”

Corvo was on the ice for Friday night’s game at Manchester.

TONIGHT

at Edmonton, 5 PST

Site -- Skyreach Centre.

Radio -- KSPN (1110).

Records -- Kings 7-6-2-2, Oilers 6-7-3-1.

Record vs. Oilers (2001-02) -- 2-1-1.

Update -- Adam Deadmarsh, suffering from post-concussion symptoms, is listed as day to day by the Kings.