Kings lose to Devils, 3-0, as shutout streak ends

Two hundred twenty-one minutes and 22 seconds, and the walls came tumbling down for the Kings.

Or whatever happens when two goals are given up on three shots.

The lackluster Kings already were dancing on the precipice at Staples Center before New Jersey ended their impressive shutout streak in the second period when Dainius Zubrus scored the first of his two goals.

They dodged one sharp object when one Devils goal was waved off in the first period, survived some sloppy neutral-zone play but couldn’t keep feinting and weaving forever as the Devils rolled over them and goalie Jonathan Bernier, 3-0, on Tuesday night.

These were the first goals the Kings (5-2-1) had allowed in four games, and their shutout streak ended at 221:22, going back to the third period on Oct. 15 at Philadelphia. The Kings managed 31 shots but most of them were non-threatening against Johan Hedberg, and Bernier faced 23 shots.

“We needed to be better,” Kings Coach Terry Murray said. “Our best players have got to be better players in order to win games in this league. We were not on top of it. … Bernier was fine. He played well. This was not about the goaltending. This is all about managing the pucks and turnovers and giveaways that ended up being very easy goals against.”

It was their first loss in five games, and the Kings had not been shut out since losing 4-0 to St. Louis on March 17 last season.

But as one shutout streak died, another lives for another night

Murray had made up his mind to start Bernier, not Jonathan Quick, the architect and builder of the impressive shutout streak. Murray came to the decision before Quick’s third straight shutout, which was on Saturday, and stayed with his initial inclination.

If you believe the words of a certain well-known sports movie, “Bull Durham,” a player on a streak has to respect the streak.

But what about the coach?

Murray was asked about the nature of superstitions on Monday after practice. For the record, he was not as a player, and now, is not as a coach.

Murray picked up on the direction of the conversation and told a story of his own, quoting from Ken Dryden’s famous book “The Game,” and what happened when Dryden’s step-by-step plan, fueled by superstition, to get ready for the game was disrupted during the pregame warmups.

“Now what do you do?” Murray asked. “From there on you can’t be superstitious.”

They might have to start being that way in their next game, on Thursday at Dallas.

Blame, however, should be spread around in an equitable manner, not just fixed on Bernier, who kept the shutout streak going for another 33 minutes and 12 seconds before Zubrus broke through at 13:12 of the second period.

“I thought I did a pretty good job of controlling the rebound,” Bernier said.

“I kind of lost it for a second and I saw it was in Zubrus’ chest. I tried to get over there and tried to put a glove on it.”

In fact, that was a long time in coming as the goal had to be reviewed in Toronto before standing. “You always hope,” said Bernier with a small laugh.

Patrik Elias scored two shots later, getting plenty of time and space, beating Bernier on the glove side. It was his fourth goal of the season.

Zubrus then scored with 1:34 left in the second period with a slap shot, finishing off a two-on-one, precise tic-tac-toe play.

The Kings’ shutout streak came close to ending in the first period but kept going a little longer when a goal was waved off because New Jersey defenseman Henrik Tallinder was in the crease behind Bernier.

Afterward, Murray was asked if he had any regrets about not sticking with Quick and looked miffed.

“You can dissect this whole thing any way you want,” he said.

lisa.dillman@latimes.com

twitter.com/reallisa