Amid the absences of Quinton Byfield and Philip Danault at center due to illnesses yesterday, the Los Angeles Kings have also lost starting goalie Darcy Kuemper due to an upper-body injury early this week.
Los Angeles Kings move Darcy Kuemper to injured reserve on Tuesday morning
Kuemper left yesterday's game for the Kings against the Dallas Stars on the road in the Lone Star State due to an upper-body injury caused by a collision in the crease with Stars forward Mikko Rantanen late in the first period in the opening frame. Rantanen made contact with the head/neck area in the crease yesterday when Kuemper suffered the injury in the first period in Dallas on the road.
The Stars had scored a goal on the play where Rantanen collided with Kuemper in the crease. But the goal was disallowed by the referee near the goal due to goalie interference.
After Kuemper suffered the injury yesterday on the road in Dallas vs. the Stars, the Kings recalled veteran goalie Pheonix Copley from the AHL Ontario Reign this morning.
The news of the Kings recalling Copley from the AHL affiliate Reign from Ontario as the Kings placed Kuemper on injured reserve on Tuesday morning (Dec. 16). This means that Kuemper will miss at least the next seven days on injured reserve for the Kings in mid-to-late December this month.
After Kuemper suffered the upper-body injury in the game's first period yesterday vs. Dallas on the road against the Stars, Anton Forsberg played the final four minutes of the opening frame for head coach Jim Hiller and the Kings in net. Forsberg stopped 17 shots for the Kings yesterday vs. Dallas.
Copley is the type of veteran presence the Kings need in net right now to provide emergency depth and consistency at the position in the West. Since the Kings have back-to-back games in the Eastern Conference to round out this three-game road trip late this week for LA, he could get his first start in a couple of years for the team this season.