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Doughty to see doctor tonight, will travel with team on road trip

Dallas Stars v Los Angeles Kings

LOS ANGELES, CA - APRIL 02: Drew Doughty #8 of the Los Angeles Kings looks on against the Dallas Stars at Staples Center on April 2, 2011 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Jeff Gross/Getty Images)

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Injured superstar defenseman Drew Doughty is set to see a team doctor tonight and the Kings expect him to travel with the team on their upcoming 3-game road trip. You may remember that he was injured in the first minute of play against the Philadelphia Flyers a week and a half ago when Zac Rinaldo lit him up with a clean, open-ice check. In keeping with tradition, the team announced it as an “upper body injury.” Since, there have been reports that say it was a slightly separated shoulder.

Doughty has been skating with the team over the last few days, but has not been cleared for contact yet. Tonight’s meeting with the team doctor will hopefully change that.

It’s not like the Kings have been hurting without Doughty in the lineup. After eventually winning beat the Flyers in overtime, the Kings were perfect on their recent three game homestand. By perfect, we mean more than just unbeaten. The team hasn’t given up a goal since that Flyers game as Jonathan Quick has dropped three straight shutouts.

Clearly, the key to the Kings success is getting that Doughty guy out of the lineup and replacing him with rookie Slava Voynov, right? Any way you cut it, the Kings have been one of the stronger team in the early going and they’re only going to get better when Doughty gets back into the lineup.

That sound you just heard was a groan from the other 14 teams in the Western Conference.