Kings’ Justin Williams taken off on stretcher

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Right wing Justin Williams was just taken off the ice at Jobing.com Arena on a stretcher after suffering what appeared to be a painful leg injury.

Williams was pursuing the puck behind the net and was hit -- cleanly -- by Martin Hanzal and Ed Jovanovski. He fell awkwardly and twisted his right leg and couldn’t get up. Play was halted at 4:27 of the first period while trainers attended to Williams, who was grimacing and frequently clutched his head between his hands.

He was carefully stabilized before being carried off on a stretcher for further medical attention. He had played only two shifts with linemates Anze Kopitar and Ryan Smyth, with Smyth returning from a rib injury that had kept him out of the lineup for 15 games.

We’ll update you as soon as we get word.

More later at www.latimes.com/sports

-- Helene Elliott, from Glendale, Ariz.