Mike Richards did not play in Sunday's Game 2 with what's being called an upper-body injury. Much like he did before the game, Darryl Sutter said Richards is "fine" but noted he won't play unless he's 100 percent. "He was fine today, then I think just once his blood got pumping tonight, the adrenaline got going, there were symptoms," Sutter said." The use of the word "symptoms" and the 100 percent requirement screams concussion or head-related injury, especially considering he was hurt on a high hit from Dave Bolland at the end of Game 1. We'll have to see how Richards feels before Tuesday's Game 3.

Darryl Sutter glossed over the Dave Bolland hit and claimed that Mike Richards is "fine." That doesn't guarantee that he'll play in Game 2, but it does seem to hint at the possibility.

Mike Richards might have been hurt at the end of Game 1 of the Western Conference finals. Richards absorbed what might have been a high-hit from Dave Bolland near the end of the third period. He declined to talk to reporters after the game and naturally teams aren't particularly forthcoming with injury information in the playoffs. For now we'll list him as healthy, but that could change, especially given that Game 2 will take place on Sunday.

Kings star Mike Richards was concise in his analysis of the San Jose Sharks series-tying, 2-1 win over Los Angeles Sunday night. "I didn't think we played well, to be honest," Richards said. ". . . Everything seemed like it was to the outside and we couldn't generate anything. We have to find a way to do that and obviously on Tuesday night, hopefully." Game 7 goes Tuesday night in Los Angeles. The home team has won every game in this series.

Mike Richards is leading all Kings players with nine points in 10 playoff games. Richards scored the Kings' lone goal on Tuesday. He's traditionally been an effective player in the playoffs with 22 goals and 74 points in 93 career games.

Mike Richards provided the only offense for the Los Angeles Kings with a third period power play goal in their 2-1 Game 4 loss to San Jose on Tuesday. The Kings offense sputtered in San Jose, after starting the series strong. The team was completely outplayed in the first period, resulting in a 15-3 shot differential in favor of the Sharks. L.A. turned it around a bit in the third, mustering some quality chances in the form of 14 shots, including Richards' tally. However, the team needs to solve their offensive dilemmas as they head home for Game 5 on Thursday. Jeff Carter and Anze Kopitar both recorded assists in the loss and led the team with four shots apiece.

The Los Angeles Kings have been getting a lot more production from their second line of Mike Richards and Jeff Carter and whoever Darryl Sutter likes at the moment over their top line of Anze Kopitar, Justin Williams and Dustin Brown. "Well, Richards' line has produced more in the playoffs than Kopi's line, so it's who you like most is your top line. I don't think you can get by with a "top line" - one top line," Sutter said. "I think we're playing against a team with two top lines, and we need our two top lines, without having our top checking centerman, we need those two lines to be very productive, and I think if I look at the series, just thinking about it, I think we've scored four even strength goals, and I think Richards' line has scored three and Lewie and Tyler's scored one last night. So that's four in the series." The Kings need the Kopitar line to start scoring if they hope to advance.

Mike Richards recorded an assist in the Kings' 4-3 win Thursday. Richards has seven points in his last five contests. He's tied for sixth in the NHL with seven assists in the playoffs.

Mike Richards had a goal and an assist on Tuesday. Richards now has six points in his last four playoff contests. He's traditionally been a very effective player in the postseason with 72 points in 90 games.

Mike Richards registered two assists on Wednesday. Richards has five assists in five games in the first round. When the Kings won it all last year, he had four goals and 15 points in 20 postseason contests.