What we learned from the Kings’ 2-1 loss to the San Jose Sharks

A few more takeaways from the Kings’ season-open loss at San Jose in which they lost goalie Jonathan Quick to a lower-body injury after the first period:

Absence of Quick looms large

Quick suffered the injury on the last shift of the first period, according to Kings Coach Darryl Sutter, apparently with about 30 seconds remaining. He did not return after the first period; Kings General Manager Dean Lombardi said Quick will have a MRI on Thursday.

Lombardi said Wednesday night via text message that the injury was “not good,” reiterating what he said through a club spokesperson immediately after the game.

How important is Quick to the Kings? Think about Montreal goalie Carey Price and you might be in the general neighborhood.

Price was injured last season on Oct. 29, ultimately requiring knee surgery, and Montreal went on to miss the playoffs.

Welcome to the Jeff Zatkoff era

It was expected that the first regular-season sighting of the Kings’ No. 2 goalie, Zatkoff, might come when the Kings had their first assignment of games on back-to-back nights, in late October.

Not after the first 20 minutes of the season.

If Quick is out for an extended period, the Kings will be hoping that Zatkoff is the Professor 2.0. Explanation: Quick suffered a serious groin injury in the 2013-14 season, at Buffalo in November, and the backup at the time, Ben Scrivens, nicknamed the Professor by his teammates, filled in exceptionally well and the Kings didn’t seem to miss a step.

Current Sharks’ starter Martin Jones, notably, won 12 games for the Kings that season.

Paging the schedule makers

Fans of the Kings are likely hoping for another opponent for the season opener next year.

They’ve faced the Sharks now in their last three season openers, losing all three games and getting outscored, 11-2.

Wednesday’s game, a one-goal loss, was the closest of the three.

Ah, the memories of their last successful season opener. It was on the road, at Minnesota, in the 2013 opener.