Wayne Simmonds

Reporting from Edmonton, Canada Trevor Lewis knows he can't replace leading scorer Anze Kopitar , and he's not going to try. Lewis was efficiently playing a defensive role as the Kings' fourth-line center until Kopitar tore ligaments in his right ankle on Saturday. Without Kopitar, who will undergo surgery Wednesday and is out indefinitely, Lewis will get a prominent role as the Kings try to maintain a playoff position over the final seven games of the regular season.

It appears Scott Parse's return to the Kings' lineup has been short-lived. The forward will undergo hip surgery next week and is expected to be out three to four months, the Kings said Tuesday. Brad Richardson will move up to the top line alongside Dustin Brown and Anze Kopitar . Coach Terry Murray said he noticed Parse wasn't playing up to speed in Monday's 6-3 loss to San Jose and had kept him on the bench for the entire third period. "I was just not seeing the kind of player I was hoping to see," Murray said.

Not pleased with his team's cohesion in Thursday's 3-1 loss at Vancouver, Kings Coach Terry Murray shuffled his lines at Friday's practice, moving left wing Dustin Penner to a line with center Michal Handzus and right wing Dustin Brown . The other lines were Ryan Smyth - Jarrett Stoll - Oscar Moller , Alexei Ponikarovsky - Trevor Lewis - Kevin Westgarth and Kyle Clifford - Brad Richardson - Wayne Simmonds ...

Coach Terry Murray had more ingredients to throw into his blender Friday when he remixed his lineup in an effort to end the Kings' season-worst five-game losing streak. Left wing Alexei Ponikarovsky , who injured an ankle Dec. 26, is expected to return Saturday to play alongside Anze Kopitar and Dustin Brown on the top line. And defenseman Willie Mitchell , who hurt his left knee Dec. 16 and sat out 11 games, said there is "a pretty good chance" he will return too, restoring physicality to a defense corps that badly needs muscle.

Acquiring Mike Richards gave the Kings two scoring centers and great credibility. Signing Simon Gagne should remedy their scoring problems, though they might need another scoring winger later. Drew Doughty played only one exhibition game after signing an eight-year, $56-million contract, leaving his fitness in question. If he and the Kings get a good start this team can make noise in the West. Expectations for them are high but justified. Projected lines First line 12, Simon Gagne, left wing 10, Mike Richards, center 23, Dustin Brown, right wing Gagne and Richards played together in Philadelphia.

Facing a second elimination game in a row, Kings Coach Terry Murray said he would use the same lineup Monday at Staples Center as he used in his team's 3-1 victory Saturday at San Jose. That means winger Scott Parse , whose appearance Saturday was his first since a hip injury forced him out of the lineup Nov. 15, stays on the left with Michal Handzus and Justin Williams . The other combinations were Dustin Penner - Jarret Stoll - Kevin Westgarth , Ryan Smyth - Trevor Lewis - Dustin Brown , and Kyle Clifford - Brad Richardson - Wayne Simmonds . Parse played 10 minutes 17 seconds Saturday and had no shots and one attempt blocked.

The Kings' first three lines seem set, though nothing is ever permanent on Coach Terry Murray's lineup card. In the first two days of training camp, Murray had Anze Kopitar centering for Ryan Smyth and Dustin Brown ; Jarret Stoll between Scott Parse and Justin Williams ; and Michal Handzus between Alexei Ponikarovsky and Wayne Simmonds , trios that should stay together into exhibition games. On what he envisions as a "gritty, heavy" fourth line, Murray gave enforcer Kevin Westgarth an edge on the right side.

The best news that might emerge from the Kings' rookie camp arrived Friday, before the first prospect took the ice in El Segundo. According to General Manager Dean Lombardi, an MRI exam performed Friday on the knee of prized prospect Brayden Schenn showed no structural damage, leaving Schenn's status day to day. Schenn, a contender to center the second line, hurt his knee Tuesday while practicing with his junior team. The mishap sparked rumors he would be out weeks or months, which apparently isn't true.

Mike Richards needed time to digest the trade that sent him from the Philadelphia Flyers to the Kings in June. He had grown up a Flyer, was their captain, enjoyed the life of a rich, single athlete in a passionate city that reveres or reviles those who wear its name on their uniforms. "The first day I talked to him after the deal was done he was in a little bit of shock still. So I left it for probably a month and a half," said Kings Coach Terry Murray, a former Flyers assistant.

On the first day of the rest of the Kings' season, club executives decided against summoning a replacement for center Anze Kopitar, who broke his right ankle Saturday and is expected to be out at least six weeks. Coach Terry Murray said Sunday he conferred with General Manager Dean Lombardi and assistant GM Ron Hextall and they resolved to "hold the course" and give expanded roles to players like fourth-line center Trevor Lewis. Kopitar was injured during the second period of the Kings' 4-1 victory over Colorado.