Late Addition of Cowan Proves to Be a Big Hit

The Kings made high-profile trades for Martin Straka and Anson Carter and also added defenseman Nathan Dempsey, but the best deal they made this season might have been for winger Jeff Cowan.

Cowan, acquired a few hours before the March 9 trade deadline, had a goal and an assist in Saturday’s 3-2 overtime loss to the Calgary Flames. What didn’t show up in the box score were the numerous hits he doled out and his willingness to tangle with the Flames’ Chris Simon.

“He’s just fearless,” King forward Sean Avery said. “He fights one of the toughest guys in the league. He did a great job. That’s a guy that you want on your team and in the lineup every night.”

Cowan, acquired from the Atlanta Thrashers for enforcer Kip Brennan, scored his 10th goal of the season after a perfect feed from Avery at 7:23 of the second period. Cowan logged 12:17 of ice time, his most with the Kings, and stood out as a main reason for the Kings’ best effort in almost two weeks.

“It was tough at first getting used to the new system and the adjustment of being on a new team, but I’m feeling pretty comfortable and starting to play a little more,” Cowan said.

The cost for Cowan appears to be a bargain, although the trade itself caught Cowan by surprise.

“I had a concussion earlier in the year. Maybe that was something they were concerned about it,” he said of his former team. “I don’t know what it was, but I’m happy to be here in L.A. We’re going to push right to the end here and see what we can do.”

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King center Jozef Stumpel left Saturday’s game in the first period with what the Kings called an “upper-body injury.”

-- Mike Bresnahan