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Last chance to make a splash: Kings activate Scott Parse for do-or-die Game 5

Owen Nolan, Scott Parse

Minnesota Wild right wing Owen Nolan, left of Ireland, collides with Los Angeles Kings left wing Scott Parse (63) along the board in the first period of an NHL hockey game in St. Paul, Minn. Monday, March 29, 2010.(AP Photo/Andy King)

AP

If you’re not a Los Angeles Kings fan, you’re probably not too familiar with left wing Scott Parse. Parse headed into this season poised to be a breakout candidate and with the Kings being a bit lacking a left wing, the opportunity was there for Parse to seize the day and become a force at forward in L.A.

Instead, Parse was felled by a hip injury that knocked him out of play for the first month of the year and he hasn’t played since November 15. Now he’s ready to play once again and has been activated from injured reserve declaring himself ready to go for Game 5 against San Jose that sees the Kings trailing 3-1 in the series.

If Parse wants to seize the day and make a big impression, doing so now would be the best way to do it. As Rich Hammond of L.A. Kings Insider shares, coach Terry Murray realizes there’s a huge risk playing a guy for the first time in five months in the middle of a playoff series.

“Yeah, probably. You could probably say a little bit of a risk, but you just have to take all the factors into consideration, and put him in a situation where you do take on a little bit of risk, but I look at the risk-reward part of it too. He’s a player who has been working very hard to get back at it. We tested him yesterday. His conditioning level is really good. I know the skill side of the game, with the puck on his stick, is good. He can give us some looks in the offensive zone. He can be a threat. He’s got some speed, quickness that can match up with their speed and quickness. So, again, a change is good sometimes, and I’m hoping that this one is.”

The Kings definitely need a change after hanging tough while still slumping against the Sharks. On the upside for L.A., the last time Parse played was against San Jose and he had a goal. The Kings would love to see him replicate that production and being on a line with Michal Handzus and Justin Williams will give him that opportunity.

It’s a desperate call but for a team that needs something to go right for them, it can’t hurt. The only question then comes for who would come out of the lineup in favor of Parse. Youngster Oscar Moller and tough guy Kevin Westgarth would be the leading candidates.