LOS ANGELES (AP) - The Los Angeles Kings placed goalie Jeff Zatkoff on injured reserve Saturday after he hurt his groin during a morning skate, setting in motion a chain of events that will force the Kings’ top minor league affiliate to use a father-son goaltending tandem.
The Kings recalled goalie Jack Campbell from the AHL’s Ontario Reign after their latest goaltending injury. Jonathan Quick is already sidelined for several months with a groin injury.
With Campbell gone, the Ontario Reign were forced to get creative to fill their net for their game against San Jose on Saturday night.
The Reign’s starter will be 22-year-old prospect Jonah Imoo, and his backup will be his 46-year-old father, Dusty, the Kings’ development goaltending coach.
Dusty Imoo played 15 seasons of pro hockey in the North American minor leagues and Japan. The British Columbia native also played for Japan at the Nagano Olympics in 1998.
Dusty Imoo’s pro career ended in 2006, and he hasn’t played professionally in North America since 1992. He was a goaltending coach in the Winnipeg Jets’ system before joining the Kings last season.
Jonah Imoo will make his first AHL start for the Reign, who had the prospect in training camp. He was recalled from the low minors when the Reign lost NHL veteran Peter Budaj, who was recalled when Quick got hurt.
Budaj is likely to start for the Kings against the Canucks.
Zatkoff had to be helped off the ice after getting hurt several hours before the Kings’ home game against Vancouver. The veteran backup was the Kings’ top goalie in the absence of Quick, who injured his groin in the first period of the season opener.
Campbell is the Dallas Stars’ former first-round pick. He is 2-0 with a shutout in his first two starts for Ontario.
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