Live discussion: Previewing Game 2 between the Kings and Sharks

Join Times Kings writer Lisa Dillman and hockey Hall of Famer Helene Elliott today at 2 p.m. as they preview tonight’s playoff game between the Kings and the San Jose Sharks.

The big talk coming out of Game 1 wasn’t the Kings’ victory, but the hard hit by San Jose’s Raffi Torres on the Kings’ Jarret Stoll.

As Elliott wrote earlier this week,

“San Jose winger Raffi Torres’ jarring hit of Kings center Jarret Stoll on Tuesday triggered a sizable ripple effect that could alter the tone and course of the teams’ Western Conference semifinal playoff series. The ripples could spread far enough for the Kings to lose a valued penalty killer for a while and for the NHL to severely punish Torres, a multiple repeat offender under the league’s often murky code of justice.

“Torres was suspended Wednesday pending an in-person hearing scheduled Thursday in New York with the NHL’s Department of Player Safety. Stoll, whose 23 hits in seven playoff games rank third on a team whose success is built on physicality, appeared to suffer a head injury on the open-ice hit. He didn’t return for the third period of the Kings’ series-opening 2-0 victory, not coincidentally the period in which the Kings scrambled the most.

“Stoll did not practice Wednesday and the Kings, per quaint custom endorsed by the NHL, released no information on his status for Game 2 on Thursday at Staples Center. Coach Darryl Sutter called the hit “careless” and said Stoll was “day to day.” When asked if Stoll’s injury will be long term, Sutter replied, “How long is the series?”

You will be able to ask questions of Dillman and Elliott during the chat.

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