Doughty plays about 24 minutes in his season debut but the Kings fall, 3-0, and have lost seven of their past nine games, scoring just 15 goals in that stretch.

Drew Doughty ’s long-awaited return to the Los Angeles Kings became imminent this week. The anticipation of the future Hall of Fame defenseman’s first game this season was such that Jim Hiller brought some levity to end a downbeat media session after a one-sided loss to Pittsburgh on Monday.