KINGS NOTES...
By Gann Matsuda
2-28-02 On Thursday, the Los Angeles Kings announced that they have assigned left wing Ryan Flinn to the Manchester Monarchs of the American Hockey League. The Kings also loaned defenseman Andreas Lilja to Manchester for conditioning purposes.On Thursday, the Los Angeles Kings announced that their game against Columbus Blue Jackets on Saturday, March 2, at Staples Center (1:00 PM PST) will not be televised by Fox Sports Net as originally scheduled. This telecast was removed from their schedule because ABC-TV owns exclusive rights to NHL games during that time period on Saturdays. A Fox Sports Net telecast would potentially take viewers away from ABC's regional broadcast. Fox Sports Net will add a Kings game to their schedule later this season. 
2-25-02 On Monday, the Los Angeles Kings announced that head coach Andy Murray will not join the team on its current two-game road trip, and will remain at his home in Faribault, Minnesota. Murray is recovering from post-concussion syndrome, four broken ribs, a separated shoulder, and facial lacerations, injuries he suffered in an automobile accident on February 15. Assistant Coach Dave Tippett will serve as interim head coach. Tippett, 41, is in his third year as an assistant coach with the Kings. He works primarily with the Kings power play units. Assistant coaches Tippett, Mark Hardy and Ray Bennett have been in charge of the Kings in Murray's absence. 2-23-02 Late Saturday, it was learned that Los Angeles Kings head coach Andy Murray underwent a neurological examination that revealed that he has slight swelling of the brain. Murray, who was hospitalized on Friday after suffering recurring severe headaches and nausea, was placed on medication and is resting at home. He was expected to rejoin the team on Tuesday at Columbus, but Murray will need clearance from his doctors in Minnesota before he will be allowed to travel. Although Murray's examination revealed more than just post-concussion syndrome, there is some room for optimism. "I'm optimistic that he will be able to go to Columbus," said Murray's wife, Ruth. "The doctor said he needs a couple more days of rest and then we'll see, but he's feeling much better. He's really improved, even [since Saturday morning] and that's good because for a while he had been getting worse, not better." "But we'll see what the doctor says," she added. "We'll see what happens the next two days. He just has to rest and I think he will. I think he realizes now how sick he is and that he's got to take it easy." Ruth Murray also said that her husband's dizziness has subsided, and he is no longer vomiting. "He did sound better today," Kings Senior Vice President and General Manager Dave Taylor said. "Obviously, it's a day-to-day situation to see how he is and what the doctor thinks--if it's OK to travel and resume coaching." In the meantime, the Kings are fully prepared to push forward with assistant coaches Ray Bennett, Mark Hardy and Dave Tippett running the show. "There's been nothing discussed, but if necessary we could do it as a group and keep things very similar to what we do now," Tippett said. "We talk to Andy every day, so his thoughts are still getting across to the players." 2-22-02 Late Friday, the Los Angeles Kings announced that head coach Andy Murray continues to suffer symptoms of post-concussion syndrome, and will remain in Minnesota. Murray was expected to return to Los Angeles on Friday night following his automobile accident in Wisconsin. Kings assistant coaches Dave Tippett, Mark Hardy and Ray Bennett will continue to run the club in Murray's absence. 2-21-02 As expected, the Los Angeles Kings announced on Thursday that they have recalled left wing Ryan Flinn from the Manchester Monarchs of the AHL. Flinn, 21, has appeared in nine games this season for the Kings, recording no points while racking up 46 penalty minutes. He made his Kings/NHL debut on January 24 against the Minnesota Wild. 2-15-02 This could have been a lot worse... Late Friday, the Los Angeles Kings announced that head coach Andy Murray was injured in an automobile accident early Friday morning in Wisconsin. Murray was hospitalized in Esparta, Wisconsin after suffering four broken ribs and a shoulder injury in a single-car accident. Murray was headed from his home in Fairbault, Minnesota to his son Braden's high school hockey game in Madison, Wisconsin. He left Fairbault at about 4:00 AM local time to make the game that was scheduled to being at 9:00 AM. But Murray's truck hit a sheet of ice at approximately 6:00 AM. The truck spun out, went down an embankment, and rolled about 300 feet off the highway. Murray, who took an overnight flight to his home in Minnesota after the Kings/Coyotes game at Staples Center on Wednesday night, is expected to be released this afternoon, and return to Fairbault for further evaluation by doctors. At press time, there was no word on Murray's prognosis, but it sounds as if he will recover fully. 2-14-02 On Thursday, the Los Angeles Kings announced that they have assigned rookie left wing Ryan Flinn to the Manchester Monarchs of the AHL. Flinn played in nine games and quickly became the Kings' enforcer, racking up 46 penalty minutes. This move was probably made to give Flinn ice time during the NHL's Olympic break. 2-7-02 On Thursday, the Los Angeles Kings announced that they have activated defenseman Mathieu Schneider from injured reserve, and that he is expected to be in the lineup when the Kings skate against the Carolina Hurricanes on Thursday night at Staples Center. Schneider suffered a left shoulder strain on January 28, in a game against the Colorado Avalanche. 2-6-02 On Wednesday, the Los Angeles Kings announced that they have assigned center Adam Mair to the Manchester Monarchs of the American Hockey League. Mair, 22, has appeared in eight games for the Kings this season and has one goal and 51 penalty minutes. 2-4-02 Late Monday, the Los Angeles Kings announced that they have recalled center Adam Mair from the Manchester Monarchs of the American Hockey League. Mair, 22 was assigned to Manchester on January 31, and in three games since, he scored two goals and added an assist. Mair has played in eight games for the Kings this season, scoring a goal and racking up 51 penalty minutes. Also on Monday, Kings' television play-by-play announcer Bob Miller was inducted into the Southern California Broadcaster's Association Hall of Fame.
