LOS ANGELES -- Raffi Torres spent the past year in Phoenix and San Jose trying to shake his reputation as a dangerous player. His hit on Los Angeles centre Jarret Stoll might have erased much of that work and put both players post-season futures in doubt. Stoll is likely to miss Game 2 of the Kings second-round playoff series against the Sharks on Thursday night. The valuable two-way forward didnt return to the series opener after a hard hit from Torres late in the second period of Los Angeles 2-0 victory. Kings coach Darryl Sutter implied Wednesday that Stoll could be out for a significant length of time. Torres also might be sidelined for a stretch after he travels to New York for a disciplinary hearing Thursday with the NHLs Department of Player Safety, which suspended him until the hearing is completed. "I thought it was careless," Sutter said of Torres hit, which occurred near the sideboards after the puck rolled away from Stoll. A lengthy suspension wouldnt make Sutter feel any better about Torres play, either: "Our player is quite a bit more important than theirs." During the defending Stanley Cup champions 2-0 victory over the Sharks, Stoll was bent forward when Torres approached him from the side for a shoulder-to-shoulder hit. Stolls head also snapped back violently before he fell forward onto the ice. Torres was called for a minor penalty for charging, and Stoll didnt return to the game. Most of the Kings declined to weigh in on the hits legality after Wednesdays light practice, claiming they hadnt seen replays. Stoll attended the Kings team meeting before practice, but wasnt on the ice. The Sharks had much stronger opinions about the play: Torres, captain Joe Thornton and coach Todd McLellan all said the hit was perfectly legal, and shouldnt even have resulted in San Joses only penalty in Game 1. "We questioned the call of a charging penalty," Thornton said. "So we were kind of shocked to hear he has to fly to New York for the hearing, because we didnt see anything wrong on the play. ... Its unfortunate that Raffi has to go through this again." Further complicating matters, Stoll and Torres are friends after three seasons as teammates with the Edmonton Oilers from 2005-08. The Kings would lose plenty without Stoll, a stalwart on their championship team last summer. Stoll is their third-line centre and a top penalty-killer and faceoff specialist, playing a valuable two-way game while also logging time on the power play. Although he doesnt score many points, getting just one assist in seven playoff games this spring, Stoll scored the series-winning goal in last seasons upset of top-seeded Vancouver in the first round on the way to the title. He also has a history of apparent concussions earlier in his career. "Hes a big loss, one of our most valuable guys," Kings defenceman Drew Doughty said. "Everybody else will have to step up if we want to keep going forward." Torres absence isnt likely to affect the Sharks offensive efforts against goalie Jonathan Quick, who shut them out on 35 shots in the series opener. But Stolls absence on defence changes the mix for Los Angeles, which must entrust additional ice time to role players without one of its leaders. Brad Richardson, who played 13 games during the Kings championship playoff run, is likely to replace Stoll in the lineup for Game 2. Richardson hasnt played in this post-season since Game 1 of the Kings first-round series with St. Louis. "Its huge, because hes one of our clutch players," Richardson said of Stoll. "Hes the first guy on the penalty kill, and hes a power-play guy." Even if it is deemed legal, the hit ignites another round of trouble for Torres, the journeyman forward whose ugly reputation has surfaced again. While playing for Phoenix last season, Torres received a 21-game suspension -- initially 25 games -- for a high hit on Chicago star Marian Hossa in the first round of the playoffs. That play cemented Torres identity as a cheap shot artist and dangerous player in many NHL minds. But the former No. 5 overall draft pick insists he has cleaned up his game during a season of largely trouble-free play with San Jose, his sixth team in six seasons. "If he is going to miss some games, were going to miss him," said Sharks forward Logan Couture, who thought the hit was clean from his on-ice viewpoint. "But its an opportunity for other guys to step up the physical play and try to take over his role. Were going to support Raffi, and whatever happens, happens." Kings forward Dustin Penner thought Torres hit was objectionable mostly because it was unnecessary. He sees little comparison to the hit by Ottawas Eric Gryba on Montreal centre Lars Eller in Game 1 of their first-round playoff series, resulting in a two-game suspension for a blow that left Eller with a concussion and a broken nose. Eller didnt return to the series as the Senators advanced. "I think that hit (in Ottawa) was fine," Penner said. "I know some people dont, but its a split-second decision. You guys can slow it down to .001 milliseconds, but hes got to make that hit, and this one (by Torres), he probably didnt need to make that hit. Thats where I see the difference." Wholesale NCAA Jerseys . John Tavares, Thomas Vanek and Kyle Okposo were also being counted on to slow down sizzling Rangers forward Rick Nash. That plan didnt go so well early. Discount NCAA Jerseys . Aduriz headed home Markel Susaetas cross in the sixth minute to open the scoring at San Mames Stadium. He bettered that with a long-range blast that went in off the goal frame in the 18th, and converted a penalty in the 72nd after Diego Mainz was sent off for fouling Aduriz with only the goalkeeper to beat. http://www.jerseysncaacheap.com/ . It was just business as usual for the Thunder at home. Durant scored 32 points and the Thunder beat the Bulls 107-95 on Thursday night for their eighth straight win. Cheap NCAA Jerseys For Sale . In what the team had called a retirement, Ryan said Thursday that he is resigning as chief executive of the Rangers in a move effective at the end of this month. Clearance College Jerseys Online . Vettel was 0.168 seconds faster than Red Bull teammate Mark Webber around the Suzuka circuit. Mercedes driver Nico Rosberg was two tenths of a second off Vettel. "The car balance is decent, but I think we can still improve," Vettel said. PROVIDENCE, R.I. -- Rhode Island coach Dan Hurley knew the Rams were in for a tough one against Providence, which had won the matchup of cross-state rivals six straight times.He didnt see this coming, though.Kyron Cartwright, who had made four 3-pointers all season, hit four of five from beyond the arc in the first half. The Providence point guard finished with 19 points and eight assists to lead the Friars to a 63-60 victory over No. 21 Rhode Island on Saturday.Thats sports, and thats the type of thing that makes coaches go gray and lose their hair, Hurley said after his team lost for the third time in four games. Four 3-pointers in seven games and he made four today -- all in the first half.Rodney Bullock scored 17 points for the Friars (6-2). Cartwright had 15 in the first half and Jalen Lindsey scored nine of his 13 points in the second, five during a 7-0 run that erased a seven-point deficit.My teammates were telling me, `You need to take those shots to open up the defense, Cartwright said. (And) we dont shoot the ball to not make it.Hassan Martin had 14 points and 17 rebounds for Rhode Island (5-3), which lost at unranked Valparaiso and Providence a week after falling to No. 1 Duke. E.C. Matthews scored nine points and went 1 for 8 from 3-point range, airballing a 3 with 2 seconds left with a chance for the Rams to tie it.Games like this might help us down the stretch, Martin said. `So you just tell everybody to keep their head up.The Rams led 47-40 with 12:15 left when Cartwrights arm appeared to catch Christion Thompson in the left eye. Thompson went to the court, flailing his arms in the air looking for a call, but the teams played on until Lindsey hit a 3-pointer to make it a four-point game at 11:00.Lindseys free throws brought the Friars within two points, and Ryan Fazekas scored on a fast-break goaltending call to tie it. From there, there were three more ties and kept the game within one possession until Lindsey hit a fallaway jumper with 43 seconds left to give Providence a 59-55 lead.ddddddddddddWe beat a tournament team today, Providence coach Ed Cooley said.POLL IMPLICATONSIt will be difficult for Rhode Island to stay in The Associated Press Top 25 after its stumbles.Hurley said he isnt concerned.The goal at the beginning of the season was to win the Atlantic 10 and play in the NCAA Tournament.Thats all still in play.We expect to have a long and great season. Nothings changed for us, he said. We lost two tough road games in a long season.BULLOCKS BOUNCE-BACKBullock scored a career-high 36 points against New Hampshire on Wednesday, but he missed all three shots from the field in the first half and had only three points on six free throws at the break.Cooley told him not to worry about the shooting and to try to make something happen with rebounding or defense.Somebody coming of a great scoring game like he did theres going to be a lot of attention on him, Cooley said. I thought he showed some definite grit in the second half.TIP-INSRhode Island: Martin hit all three of his 3-point attempts in the first half. ... Martin surpassed the 1,000-point milestone against Valparaiso on Tuesday. ... The Rams have lost nine straight to Big East teams.Providence: The Friars lead the all-time series 73-56, including a buzzer-beating victory last year in Kingston. ... They are 1-1 against ranked teams this season, having lost to then-No. 7 Virginia on Nov. 26.UP NEXTRhode Island: Hosts Old Dominion on Tuesday.Providence: Hosts Brown on Tuesday.---More AP college basketball: www.collegebasketball.ap.org and https://twitter.com/AP-Top25. ' ' '