LOS ANGELES (AP) — Ryan Smyth had a goal and an assist, Michael Handzus connected on a power play, and the Los Angeles Kings beat the Colorado Avalanche 4-1 on Saturday despite losing leading scorer Anze Kopitar for at least 6 weeks with a broken right ankle.
Kopitar, a five-year veteran center who leads Los Angeles with 73 points, was checked lightly by defenseman Ryan O’Byrne against the left boards in the Colorado zone before falling backward with 4:21 left in the second. He lay on the ice for several moments before he was helped off by Handzus and a trainer, and was hunched over in severe pain when he went to the dressing room.
The Kings refused to be specific, calling it a lower-body injury, but coach Terry Murray revealed the severity of it while addressing reporters.
