Pearson continues to progress

The Los Angeles Kings practiced at Nassau Coliseum on Wednesday afternoon as 11 skaters took the ice along with goaltender Martin Jones following the back-to-back wins in Newark and Manhattan that opened the five-game road trip.

Tanner Pearson was among them. He has a history on the Islanders’ ice, having notched his first NHL goal in the building during a 3-2 Kings comeback win on November 14, 2013.

He’s seen replays of the goal, which was upheld after a video review.

“I’ve seen it a lot, yes,” he said. “I still don’t know whether it crossed the goal line or not.”

The left wing who hasn’t played since fracturing his lower left fibula in a collision with the offensive zone end boards following a hit from Winnipeg’s Jay Harrison on January 10 continues to progress.

“I think we’re getting pretty close,” he said. “I don’t see anything happening this road trip, for sure. I think I still need another X-ray to see where I’m at. But hopefully when we get back, things show good signs and we’ll go from there.”

At this point, there’s no real shift in the timetable for Pearson’s full recovery, which was originally pegged at three-plus months. But the forward resumed skating earlier this month and said that his ankle has improving, and there is hope within hockey operations that the 2012 first round draft pick could return prior to the end of the regular season on April 11.

“There was obviously swelling and soreness with skating and then after. It’s come a long way in the last three weeks or so, or whatever it’s been. Hopefully we keep on progressing from here.”

Pearson was recently placed on long term injured reserve, as two sources with knowledge of roster moves have confirmed to LA Kings Insider, though such a move is based on salary cap flexibility rather than any physical detail related to his recovery. In 42 games this season, he has 12 goals, 16 points and a plus-14 rating.

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Tanner Pearson, on returning to where he scored his first NHL goal:
It was a good road trip last year. The whole thing was a good road trip, actually. I think last year was obviously pretty special with what happened here. It’s just unfortunate I can’t play here again.

Pearson, on when he had his last X-ray:
Right before we left, and there’s still a small piece of bone that still has to heal. I’m just waiting on that and then we’ll go from there. [Reporter: It’s like Darryl saying you can’t rush the healing process. It’s not like any other injury, it has to heal.] Yeah, it’s different. It feels good, which is the good part. There are no restrictions on the ice right now. The swelling, it’s not swelling up after I’m skating, which is good. We’re keeping a good eye on it and looking after it. So hopefully the next X-ray shows good signs.

Pearson, on how his conditioning is doing:
There are two answers – it sucks but you’ve got to do it. I want to be able to jump right back into the mix of things when I’m cleared to play. I’ll put the work in out here and it’ll be an easier transition coming back.

Pearson, on whether he feels like he’s “racing the clock” to return:
Yes and no, I mean obviously I want to get back as quick as possible and especially what’s going right now in the playoff race, yeah, I want to be a part of it. I think you get sick of watching games after a while. It sucks not being out there, but stuff happens. With what happened, it’s just the process you have to go through.

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