Los Angeles Kings’ goalie Darcy Kuemper exited the game against the New York Rangers after a crease collision in the first period on Tuesday night. The nature and severity of Kuemper’s injury were undisclosed by head coach Jim Hiller post the Kings’ 4-3 win. Hiller mentioned, “I don’t have too much to share. We’ll probably know a little bit more [Wednesday].”
Kuemper, set to represent Canada at the upcoming Olympics, sustained an injury when Rangers’ Jonny Brodzinski made contact with Kuemper’s head during a two-on-one rush towards the net. Despite the collision not being forceful, Kuemper signaled for a stoppage in play and skated off gingerly to the dressing room with 38.8 seconds remaining in the period.
Having missed part of December due to a head injury, Kuemper’s current injury is not believed to be similar to the previous setback, according to Hiller. Kuemper returned to play on January 1 and has participated in nine out of the 11 games this month.
Backup goalie Anton Forsberg replaced Kuemper and delivered an exceptional performance with 28 saves, aiding the Kings in securing the victory. Kuemper, a 14-year NHL veteran, was named to Canada’s Olympic roster alongside goalies Jordan Binnington and Logan Thompson on New Year’s Eve. The Kings halted a four-game losing streak with the win over the Rangers and will next face off against St. Louis on Saturday to kick off a six-game road trip.
