Power Still Out: Kings Lose, 4-2

The phrases coming out of the Kings’ dressing room weren’t the usual words that emerge after a loss.

King Coach Barry Melrose thought it might have been his team’s best game of the season. The players, for their part, didn’t detect a second-period lull despite giving up three consecutive goals. And the ineffective power play isn’t bringing any voiced concern, despite producing two goals in 30 opportunities.

The outcome? Winnipeg 4, Los Angeles 2.

The score on Friday night at Winnipeg Arena probably didn’t reflect the entire story, but Melrose’s postgame reflections weren’t completely on the mark, either.

“We played a great game,” Melrose said. “I thought we totally outplayed Winnipeg. It might have been our best game of the year.”

The statistics didn’t reflect that, however. The Kings’ power play could have been the difference against the Jets. And it was--giving Winnipeg the advantage when the Kings converted only one of nine opportunities.

Referee Denis Morel certainly wasn’t slow to use the whistle on Friday, giving the Jets’ nine power-play opportunities as well. The power-play goal the Kings (5-3) did get came during the first period at 9:36 when Luc Robitaille, alone in front, kept poking at goaltender Bob Essensa and put it past him on the second attempt. It was the seventh goal of the season for Robitaille, who has 13 points in the last six games.

His goal came about four minutes after Tomas Sandstrom’s made the score 2-0. But then the Kings’ offense was silenced.

That coincided with Essensa’s strong play. The Kings got 23 shots on goal in the final two periods, but Essensa got stronger.

“He came up real big for them,” King goaltender Kelly Hrudey said. “In the second period, he started to get into his rhythm.

“We were up, 2-0, halfway through the game and we were still playing well. Other games you could see a lag.”

The Jets (3-6) fed off of Essensa’s momentum and climbed back into the game with two second-period goals by Darrin Shannon and another by defenseman Fredrik Olausson. Olausson broke the 2-2 tie when he ripped a slap shot from the left circle past Hrudey at 17:52 of the second. His goal came on a five-on-three advantage.

Later, with the Kings pressing for the tying goal during the third period, the Jets scored another power-play goal. Finnish rookie Temmu Selanne converted a breakaway at 17:37 after Jari Kurri gave the puck away to Thomas Steen in the Jets’ own zone. Steen promptly hit Selanne at center ice with a breakout pass.

The Kings have to walk the fine balance of concern and overreaction after losing their second consecutive game on this six-game, 12-day trip. King forward/defenseman Marty McSorley is aware of that line, even at this point of the season.

“We have to be mad we lost,” McSorley said. “But we have to do it in a constructive way. Now we have to do something about it.

“Losing teams look at it as: ‘Here we go again.’ Winning teams say: ‘We did good things and we have to do it better.’ We’re not going to accept losing, and we have to instill that in our young guys.”

King Notes

Defenseman Rob Blake’s new two-year contract is worth $1.3 million, $600,000 this season and $700,000 in the option year. There are no personal incentives, only team bonuses. The deal also represents a substantial increase from his previous salary of $165,000, making him the ninth-highest paid player on the team. . . . Right wing Bob Kudelski, who had been scratched from the lineup the last four games, made his first appearance since Oct. 10. To make room for Kudelski, Marty McSorley played defense and Peter Ahola sat out. Kudelski played in McSorley’s spot with center John McIntyre and left wing Warren Rychel.

Center Corey Millen, concerned about his reaction to the anti-inflammatory drug he is taking for his lower back, received a medical examination here. All tests were negative, and Millen might play tonight against Minnesota. If Millen plays, McSorley probably will be on defense for the second consecutive game.