Sharks Finally Spotted

Ah, the idiosyncrasies of the NHL schedule.

The Kings have played the Chicago Blackhawks three times but are still two weeks away from playing their local rival in Anaheim. They’ve been to St. Louis and Detroit twice but haven’t played the San Jose Sharks, their only other in-state opponent.

That will change tonight, as will a schedule in which the Kings have played the fewest division games of any Western Conference team. Five of the Kings’ next six games are within the Pacific Division, including consecutive games against the Sharks, tonight in San Jose and Saturday at Staples Center.

That these two games have first-place implications was unimaginable when the season began in October -- the Kings struggled early without several key players, and the Sharks won one of their first 10 -- but only two points separate the first-place Kings from San Jose.

Although the Sharks just won two against the Mighty Ducks by identical 2-1 scores, the Kings aren’t ready to boil it down to a two-team race. Or any race, for that matter.

“I don’t look at whether they’re division games or not, because that’s not really important right now,” King Coach Andy Murray said. “What’s important is getting points in as many games as we can. I won’t look at a division race until March and April.”

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Goaltender Roman Cechmanek will go on the injured list because of a strained left hip that has bothered him for more than two weeks, Murray said Thursday. Cechmanek, injured in a collision Dec. 11 against the Nashville Predators, returned for one period Saturday against the Colorado Avalanche and has not played since.... Right wing John Tripp, goaltender Milan Hnilicka and defenseman Bryan Muir are expected to be recalled from minor league affiliate Manchester (N.H.) for tonight’s game.