On what changes would be made if Anze Kopitar “can’t go” tonight:
What if he does go tonight?
On the Pearson-Carter-Toffoli line:
First off, Tanner and Tyler played together in the American League, so they’re comfortable with each other, and I think they’ve played off-and-on. They weren’t a line very much in the playoffs last year. [Reporter: They were together late, though.] Not very often, actually. If you look at the last goal that was scored in June, Lewis, Clifford and Toffoli were our line. Richards, Carter and Pearson were a line.
On how the Kings would be theoretically be affected by using 19 players:
It’s not a question that I have to answer, quite honest. Why do I? IR is seven days. Other than that, you’re day-to-day. LTI is 10 games. Everything else you have your answers to. I don’t have to give you any answers on injuries. I don’t know when that started.
On how Anze Kopitar looked at the morning skate:
He’s ready to go.
On how close Trevor Lewis is to returning:
He’s close. He wants to play. We’ve got a long trip here. I’ll make sure he’s ready in two days, not for a few minutes tonight. [Reporter: Because it is October, after all.] Well, it’s not that. You know what? We’ve had some frustrating muscle injuries already. You just don’t want to prolong ‘em. I’d rather be a day in or a game off than miss four or five weeks. [Reporter: They’re like kind of the same thing with some of these guys, right? The same area, more or less?] Yeah, I mean Gaborik’s had two separate injuries. Those are disappointing injuries.
On Marian Gaborik and Lewis:
Yeah, they’re full skating and they’re getting closer. Every day they’re closer. When they’re ready, they’ll be ready. They tell me. [Reporter: They’ll let you know, is that what you’re saying?] That’s a good way of doing it, I think. I mean it’s not like we don’t know our players. It’s not like we’re getting familiar with a new player. We know our players, and we trust our players.
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