Ferraro Returning, but It’s Day-to-Day

Center Ray Ferraro, sidelined much of the season because of a left knee injury, practiced with the team Monday and said he felt fine and is ready for Wednesday night’s game at Detroit.

Ferraro, however, hesitated to commit himself beyond then because of the recent problems he has had with his knee.

“I’m just coming to realize that it is going to bother me the rest of the year,” said Ferraro, who has 11 points in his last 13 games. “I had an MRI on [my left knee Sunday] and there’s just too much stuff going on. There’s tendinitis, a bone bruise and other different things. None of it’s serious enough to where I can’t play. I don’t know how it’s going to be for back-to-back games.”

With left wing Luc Robitaille already out at least a week because of a groin injury, the Kings hope Ferraro is able to be in the lineup more than he is out.

“The pain is kind of there all of the time,” said Ferraro, who has had his knee drained twice this month. “But the knee feels OK right now. I don’t know how it’s going to be in a month and I really don’t think the doctors know either. It’s going to be a day-to-day thing the rest of the year.”

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Although Jamie Storr has a better goals-against average and a four-game winning streak, Coach Larry Robinson said Stephane Fiset will get the majority of starts in goal over the final 27 games.

“We’ll try to get Jamie in some games, but we’ll definitely try to go with Steph as much as we can,” Robinson said. “He’s been playing well and he’s been playing with a lot of confidence.”

Storr, who started and won a game with Long Beach of the International Hockey League on Saturday, is 5-2 with a 2.20 goal-against average. Fiset, 5-1-1 in his last seven starts, is 20-15-7 with a 2.53 goal-against but has given up only four goals in nearly five games.

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Robinson doesn’t think the Kings were hurt by the timing of the Olympic break, despite the team’s 9-1-1 streak.

“I think that the break helped us because the guys were getting a little worn down,” Robinson said. “We have a few guys dinged and we’re a physical team. We looked a little tired there at the end.”

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Defenseman Garry Galley is listed as day-to-day because of a knee contusion and is doubtful for Wednesday’s game against the Red Wings. . . . Defenseman Philippe Boucher, who has been on injured reserve since Jan. 29 because of thyroiditis, has regained most of the 15 pounds he lost and now weighs 205. Boucher was assigned to Long Beach of the IHL over the weekend and scored a point in the Ice Dogs’ victory on Saturday.