Coyotes defenseman Keith Ballard suffered an injury to his midsection late in the third period thanks to a hard check into the boards by the Kings' Raitis Ivanans. Ballard was helped off the ice and did not return.

After the game, Ballard said he was not seriously injured and that he likely would play today.

"He was coming at me with a pretty good elbow," Ballard said. "I saw him at the last second. If I hadn't gotten out of the way, it would have been worse."

Ballard was not thrilled with Ivanans' hit, which the officials deemed legal.

"That's what he does," Ballard said. "He runs around and there's not many guys in the league as big as him so he can take liberties"