Sawyer Angers Coach

A 4-2 victory and an uninjured Felix Potvin tempered his displeasure, but King Coach Andy Murray was still upset Tuesday that Kevin Sawyer of the Mighty Ducks ran his goaltender in the first period of Monday night’s game.

Sawyer, making no move for the puck, slammed into Potvin at full speed behind the net as the goaltender retrieved the puck.

Sawyer, second in the NHL with 175 penalty minutes, was suspended for five games last month after making a run at goaltender Mike Vernon of the Calgary Flames, part of a fight-marred game Dec. 8 at Calgary.

“I’m sure the league will look at it,” Murray said of Monday’s infraction, which resulted in a double major for Sawyer and led to the Kings’ first goal. “I don’t like to comment on those things. The league has to deal with that....

“But he’s done that twice now. He’s already been suspended for it once. He plays real hard, and I respect what he’s trying to do. He’s fighting lots of battles to try and keep a spot in the NHL. But there are just some things you don’t do, and I’m sure [Duck Coach] Bryan Murray’s told him that too.

“It was a ridiculous hit.”

Though his head snapped back violently when he was hit, Potvin was not injured. He seemed to get a kick out of the replay, watching it repeatedly Tuesday.

*

King winger Craig Johnson, who suffered a cut above his right eye when he took a high stick from Duck defenseman Vitaly Vishnevski, will sit out Thursday night’s game against the Minnesota Wild at Staples Center.

Johnson, one of only five Kings to have played in all 49 games, is enjoying one of his best seasons, with 10 goals and 11 assists.

“He’s playing a prominent role on our team right now, in terms of ice time,” Murray said. “He’s getting power-play time, penalty-killing time, and he’s responded to the challenge.”

Johnson is expected to return to practice Friday.

Jerry Crowe