With their blue line already missing Jake Muzzin and Derek Forbort, Drew Doughty was suspended one game for an illegal hit to the head of Vegas Golden Knights winger William Carrier. Doughty will miss Game 2 of the first-round playoff series that resumes Friday with the Kings trailing 1-0.
The suspension, the first in Doughty's 10-year career, was announced after the Kings practiced Thursday, but Doughty broached the possibility of the Kings without him.
His teammates were aware of losing perhaps the NHL's best defender, the league leader in ice time and their alternate captain.
"He's the best defenseman in the league, so it's a huge hole," Dustin Brown said.