Rookie success

The clock continues to tick for Kings rookies Kyle Clifford and Brayden Schenn. The Kings have until the 10th game — for each player — to determine whether to return them to their junior teams or keep them and burn a year off their pro contracts. Heading into tomorrow, Schenn has played seven games and Clifford has played six. Both players have been in and out of the lineup, and the Kings will have to make a roster move of some type when winger Scott Parse returns from his groin injury, likely with the next week. Terry Murray said he had not yet determined his lineup for Saturday’s game and would wait until Wayne Simmonds’ status was clear.

Murray did, however, have praise for the rookies, and particularly for Clifford’s effort on Thursday. Clifford tied for the team high with four hits in 7:54 of ice time and also had a second-period fight with Brian Sutherby…

MURRAY: “The two of them [Clifford and Schenn] have played well. They’re 19-year-old kids, and (Jake) Muzzin is six, seven months removed from junior hockey, so it’s pretty impressive, what they’ve done. I felt, in the game last night, Clifford in particular had a real impact on that hockey game. We were fighting through, trying to find a way to win a game where all the excuses were built in. He’s out there forechecking and playing hard and heavy and getting contact right through is last shift of the game. You look at the fight he had, the scrum he had, and they had a great forecheck in the middle of the second period. Pucks are in the offensive zone, they’re doing all the right things and it kind of changed the tide for us. We got some momentum off of that energy. Again, we’re talking about a 19-year-old kid, and I think the team responded to his play.”

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