In practice and the morning stakes for the team late this week in the past couple of days, the Los Angeles Kings have been missing a few key players in the lineup. The Kings could reportedly be without forward Anze Kopitar and starting goaltender Darcy Kuemper due to various lower-body injuries.
Los Angeles Kings will be without Darcy Kuemper in net vs. the Penguins due to a lower-body injury
Zach Dooley of LA Kings Insider reported on Oct. 16 that Kuemper has an injury status of "day-to-day" after suffering a lower-body injury earlier this week. It hasn't been reported exactly when Kuemper suffered the lower-body injury this week.
Kopitar was visibly injured for the Kings in the shootout loss to the Wild this past Monday night in Minnesota. He reportedly suffered an ankle injury in the middle of the game against the Wild a few days ago.
This news comes as the Kings return home to Crypto.com Arena late this week for a two-game homestand against Eastern Conference foes from the Metropolitan Division. The Kings host center Sidney Crosby and the Pittsburgh Penguins at Crypto Arena on Thursday night (Oct. 16) after playing three straight road games during a road trip against a trio of playoff teams from the Western Conference earlier this week.
Hiller and the Kings round out the two-game homestand against teams from the East at Crypto late this week and this weekend against the Carolina Hurricanes on Saturday evening (Oct. 18).
The Kings added goalie depth via the trade market earlier this week, reacquiring veteran Pheonix Copley from the Tampa Bay Lightning in a trade in exchange for future considerations. Copley was on the Kings' roster this fall at the start of training camp and the preseason. But the Lightning claimed him off waivers to Tampa Bay when he was assigned to the AHL affiliate Ontario Reign this past month.
Backup goalie Anton Forsberg is expected to start for the Kings against the Penguins at home at Crypto Arena on Thursday night.