Blake Has to Sit One Out

With Rob Blake sidelined because of a strained left groin, Jere Karalahti was recalled from Long Beach, and he helped Coach Andy Murray make a decision by wandering into the Kings’ Detroit hotel at 6:30 a.m., exhausted from traveling all night.

“I’ve got to get some sleep,” Karalahti said.

He was at Joe Louis Arena for the morning skate only five hours later, but was scratched Friday night.

“We want to see him play, but we want to do it in a situation in which he can succeed,” said Murray, who played Jaroslav Modry in place of Blake against the Red Wings.

“That’s not to say you won’t see him tomorrow night [at Montreal], but we want Modry to have a good game. Modry was one of our best defensemen last time at Detroit.”

Blake blamed a new pair of skates for the groin strain he has had for a week, and which finally hurt so much that he was unable to play.

“I kind of thought I would be able to, but I had to skate and see,” he said Friday morning after spending a few minutes on the ice and then retiring to the locker room for treatment.

Blake’s status is called day-to-day, but plans are for him to sit out tonight’s game and play Tuesday at New Jersey.

“That will give me four or five days, and that should be enough,” he said.

TONIGHT

at Montreal, 4, Fox Sports Net

* Site--Molson Centre.

* Radio--KRLA (1110).

* Records--Kings 15-8-6-1, Canadiens 10-17-2-1.

* Record vs. Canadiens--0-1.

* Update--Montreal, which was on a winless streak that reached four games, got well Wednesday when Martin Rucinsky scored twice in a 4-2 victory over the New York Islanders.