Logan Couture to miss Sharks-Kings game

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LOS ANGELES – The Sharks will be without second line center Logan Couture when they play the Kings at Staples Center on Wednesday night.

Couture battled through an illness on Monday against the Jets, according to coach Pete DeBoer, but did not make the trip to Southern California.

“Just came down with a little bit of a bug. Played through it last game,” DeBoer said. “Just didn’t feel like, one, he’d be able to play, and two, that we’d travel and expose him to the rest of the group. So he’s at home, and we’ve called up [Ryan] Carpenter and he’ll play.”

When asked if Couture could potentially play against Tampa Bay on Thursday, DeBoer said: “Yeah, I think so. It’s nothing, from my understanding, more than a bug.”

Couture missed the last nine minutes of Monday’s 5-2 win over Winnipeg after blocking a Toby Enstrom shot with his right hand, but DeBoer said his absence was not related to that incident.

In 44 games, Couture has 27 points (14g, 13a). He has not missed a game yet this season.

In his absence, Patrick Marleau centered the second line with wingers Mikkel Boedker and Kevin Labanc at the morning skate, while Melker Karlsson replaced Marleau on the top line with Joe Thornton and Joe Pavelski. Carpenter will play his first game with the Sharks since Nov. 30, when he scored his first career goal at Staples Center.

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