Already trailing its best-of-seven first-round playoff series with the Golden Knights 1-0, the Kings will now have to play Game Two Friday night in Las Vegas without its top defenseman.
On Thursday night, the NHL's Department of Player Safety suspended Drew Doughty one game for an illegal check to the head of William Carrier.
The play occurred midway through the third period of the Golden Knights 1-0 victory on Wednesday, and Carrier did not return to the game after the hit.
"We were notified of the League’s ruling that Drew Doughty will be suspended for Game 2. We are preparing accordingly and will move forward.” - LA Kings VP and General Manager Rob Blake https://t.co/dp5quJQQto
— LA Kings (@LAKings) April 12, 2018
Golden Knights head coach Gerard Gallant took issue with the play, saying after the game, " ... I thought it was a bad hit." Gallant also said that Carrier is day-to-day.
On Friday, Carrier was a participant in Golden Knights morning skate in his regular spot in line rushes, and appears ready to return for Game 2. Carrier also said he didn't think it was a dirty play on the part of Doughty, and approved of the decision made by Player Safety.
Carrier expects to be in the lineup for Game 2 and says he’s fine. Said nhl wanted him to go through concussion protocol during game
— Steve Carp (@stevecarprj) April 13, 2018
Head coach Gerard Gallant did say that Carrier still needed to be cleared by trainers before returning to game action.
When the Kings returned to the ice Friday to prepare for Game 2, both Doughty and Los Angeles head coach John Stevens each took issue with the Department of Player Safety's decision to suspend a game.
“I don’t think for one second that was suspension-worthy... I think it’s BS.”
— LA Kings (@LAKings) April 13, 2018
- Drew Doughty pic.twitter.com/ssWZnzMYe9
"In my opinion Drew Doughty is the best player at his position in the world, and he defended that play exactly the way we would expect him to defend that play," Stevens said. "The only thing I'm going to say to that is, as long as I'm on the earth, I'm going to agree to disagree with that decision (to suspend him)."
Los Angeles Kings coach John Stevens: "In my opinion Drew Doughty is the best player at his position in the world and he defended that play exactly the way we'd expect him to defend that play... As long as I'm on the earth, I'm going to agree to disagree with that decision.” pic.twitter.com/OoSK7b742g
— Arash Markazi (@ArashMarkazi) April 13, 2018
A visibly frustrated and annoyed Stevens said the Kings hadn't game planned for how they would approach Game 2 without Doughty because he and his staff were not anticipating a suspension.
"What we decided to do is, when the game starts that we're going to put two defenseman on the ice, and if we get a power play or a penalty kill, we're going to put two defenseman on the ice," Stevens said. "We checked with the league and we're pretty sure that they're going to keep the puck the same size."
Doughty, who played a game-high 28:02, was not penalized on the play. The Kings are also expected to still be without defenseman Jake Muzzin in Game 2, who missed the opening of the series and the final five of the regular season with an upper-body injury. While Muzzin has returned to practice for the Kings, he has yet to shed a non-contact jersey. Muzzin finished third in average ice time among Los Angeles defensemen at 21:39 this season behind Doughty and Alec Martinez.