Injured Palffy, Stumpel Won’t Play Tonight

The wait for the wounded continues at least one more game for the Kings.

Neither Ziggy Palffy nor Jozef Stumpel will play tonight against the Phoenix Coyotes, and Palffy will also miss Saturday’s game against the Chicago Blackhawks because of a bruised jaw and two broken teeth.

Palffy, hit in the face with a puck while on the bench Saturday against the Colorado Avalanche, was placed on the injured reserve list Wednesday, retroactive to Sunday. He would be eligible to come off the list Sunday and could play that night against the Dallas Stars.

“It’s just too sore,” King Coach Andy Murray said. “The pain, I think, is giving him some headaches. He’s just not feeling as well as he needs to feel.”

The Kings recalled center Steve Kelly from minor-league Manchester (N.H.) to take Palffy’s roster spot. Kelly has five goals and 14 assists in 15 games with Manchester.

Stumpel continues to be held back by a bruise in his chest that is limiting strength in the left side of his body, near his shoulder.

“I don’t think I could do faceoffs with it or go into the corners,” Stumpel said. “I’m not going to get out there” tonight.

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Wedged in between the words “Match-Ups” and “Practice Plan” on the grease board in Murray’s office Wednesday were the words “Demanding More,” which Murray tapped five times for emphasis when explaining what the injury-depleted Kings must do next.

“You’ve got to demand more of our players,” he said. “ ... Some of these guys have to extend themselves and give us a little bit more.”

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Murray was still upset with the referees a day after the Kings’ 4-0 loss to New Jersey, particularly with a non-call when Scott Niedermayer’s stick struck Eric Belanger in the face at 6:30 of the second period.

Belanger sustained three damaged teeth and a deep cut above his lip. According to the referee, Belanger’s stick caused the damage when the players became entangled behind the New Jersey net, Murray said.

“To tell us that Belanger hit himself is tough to accept,” Murray said.

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Defenseman Maxim Kuznetsov, who was delayed in Russia for more than two months because of visa problems, could play his first game with the Kings tonight. He might take the place of rookie Tim Gleason.

“It’s a matter of the same kind of thing we did with [rookie forward] Dustin Brown,” Murray said. “Sometimes a break helps a young man and we’ve played a lot of games lately ... not that we’re unhappy with Gleason. He’s been exceptional in terms of what he’s actually done and what the expectations were.”

TONIGHT

vs. Phoenix, 6 PST

Site -- America West Arena.

Radio -- KSPN (710).

Records -- Kings 10-8-1-1, Coyotes 6-9-5-1.

Record vs. Coyotes -- 1-0-0-0.

Update -- The Kings defeated the Coyotes, 7-3, on Nov. 1. Alexander Frolov had two third-period goals to break open the game. The Coyotes have been outscored, 11-2, in consecutive losses to San Jose, Atlanta and Dallas and have three victories in their last 18 games after starting the season 3-0.