Kings Looking Better as Season Gets Closer

For the Kings, improvement is such a slow, steady progression, it can almost be measured minute by minute.

While their effort may have been erratic in an 8-5 victory over the San Jose Sharks on Saturday night at the Forum, before an announced crowd of 12,005, it certainly helped rectify their most previous exhibition season performance.

Of course, the Sharks may have had something to do with it.

At this stage, King Coach Barry Melrose is looking for simple improvement with the regular season opening Tuesday in Calgary. After a second-period collapse in a 6-2 loss to the Canucks on Wednesday, Melrose said that he loved his team “for 25 minutes and hated them for 35.”

“I’d say it was about 58 minutes to two,” said Melrose, joking. “I was impressed at how hard we played and it was nice to see the offense working the way it is.”

His love-hate ratio changed Saturday when the Kings played well in the second period, scoring four goals, including three in a row on the power play. San Jose had led, 3-2, before the four-goal outburst.

More encouraging was that the offense was finally being supplied by someone other than rookie forward Jim Hiller. Luc Robitaille led the way with three goals and one assist, and rookie center Robert Lang set up two goals and scored once.

Defenseman Rob Blake, playing in only his second exhibition game after undergoing off-season shoulder surgery, started to round into form with a goal and two assists.

King goaltender Robb Stauber, making his fourth start of the exhibition season, struggled through the first two periods as he gave up four goals on 16 shots. The Kings had 51 shots on goal, including 26 in the second period.

Stauber was a surprise starter when Melrose decided not to play Kelly Hrudey, who is suffering from a slight groin pull. However, the injury is not expected to sideline him for the opener.

King Notes

Among those left unprotected for today’s NHL waiver draft were Scott Bjugstad, Frank Breault, Sylvain Couturier and Dave Taylor. Taylor, who was also left unprotected in June’s expansion draft, seems a safe bet to remain with the Kings, based on his age (36) and hefty salary. . . . Center Corey Millen (lower back strain) missed the Kings’ final three exhibition games. Brent Thompson (hip flexor strain) has been sidelined the entire exhibition season. . . . Center John McIntyre was another late scratch. His grandfather died Saturday and McIntyre left the team to be with his family in Canada.