Los Angeles Kings center Mike Richards missed Game 3 of the Western Conference finals with an apparent head injury.
Coach Darryl Sutter confirmed his leading scorer would sit out his second straight game Tuesday for the defending Stanley Cup champions. The Kings went on to win 3-1 to trim Chicago's lead in the series to two games to one.
Richards received a big hit from Chicago's Dave Bolland late in Game 1, and didn't play in Game 2 on Sunday despite participating in pre-game warmups. Richards hadn't missed a game all season.
Richards has 10 points in the playoffs. His absence is another blow for the low-scoring Kings, who are averaging fewer than two goals per game in the playoffs.
Rookie Tyler Toffoli replaced Richards in the Los Angeles lineup again, and Jeff Carter moved from the wing to Richards' spot at center.
