Coyotes move on without Gretzky

LOS ANGELES - With coach and managing partner Wayne Gretzky taking an indefinite leave from the team Saturday to be with his mother, Phyllis, who has lung cancer, the Coyotes are trying to maintain the status quo.

"When you get things back to normal, it’s a lot easier for him (Gretzky) if he knows everything is normal back here," said associate coach Rick Tocchet, who has assumed head coaching responsibilities until Gretzky returns.

In its first game without Gretzky, Phoenix lost 4-1 to the Los Angeles Kings at the Staples Center.

Gretzky addressed the team briefly at its hotel a few hours before the contest, then traveled to Brantford, Ontario, where he grew up and his parents still reside.

"Family has always come first to the Gretzkys, as it should," general manager Mike Barnett said. "The thoughts and prayers of the Phoenix Coyotes organization, and most surely, those of the entire hockey world, are with Wayne and the Gretzky family at this most difficult time."

Phyllis Gretzky has been battling cancer for the past year. When asked if she has taken a turn for the worse, Barnett said, "She’s seriously ill."

"Wayne has been dealing with this for a long time now," Tocchet said. "He’s kept it pretty quiet. He didn’t want any distractions. That’s the type of human being he is. Right now his family needs him. They need each other.

"This (the game) is nothing. We can handle it. It’s just another hockey game."

Gretzky is also executive director of Team Canada, which will announce its Olympic roster Wednesday. It is unclear if he will maintain that position. His mother’s illness kept him from overseeing the Canadian squad at the world men’s hockey championship in May.

Gretzky, the NHL’s all-time leader in career goals (894), assists (1,963) and points (2,857) and who at one time held or shared 61 league records, is in his first season as a coach. He had led the Coyotes to a 16-14-2 record.

Not having Gretzky behind the bench Saturday was "different," captain Shane Doan said.

"The leaders in the room, we have to step up," he said. "The coaching staff did a good job preparing us, and it’s just different."

Defenseman Paul Mara said Gretzky’s absence wasn’t much of a distraction on the ice.

"We still tried to focus on the game," said Mara, who tied the game at 1 with a power-play goal from just outside the crease at 9:01 of the second period. "We know the situation he’s in.

"He would want us to go out and play, and we tried to go out and get a win for him and his family."

Goalie Brian Boucher finished with 33 saves, including 24 in the first two periods, in his season debut.

"Unfortunately, it wasn’t the result we were looking for," said Boucher, who tore his groin Sept. 16 in the preseason opener and didn’t join the Coyotes’ active roster until Thursday. "From a personal standpoint, it felt good to get into a game."

Kings defenseman Joseph Corvo netted the game-winner on a rebound shot at 10:02 of the second while Pavol Demitra, Craig Conroy and Michael Cammalleri also scored for Los Angeles.

Kings goalie Mathieu Garon, who had 42 saves Friday against Anaheim, stopped 25 shots.

Phoenix has now lost three straight after winning its previous three.