It’s a Series of Musical Goaltenders : Kings: Rookie Stauber has the start for Game 5 after he stops Flames to even series, 2-2.

It seems almost like breaking a law, making a goaltending change in the middle of a playoff series for reasons other than injury.

Most NHL teams live with their No. 1 goaltenders until faced with a blowout in a game, or with injury or in desperation, usually the product of being on the verge of losing a series.

But not the Kings.

They took a decided risk by replacing veteran Kelly Hrudey with playoff rookie Robb Stauber in Game 4. Stauber pulled the Kings even, 2-2, in this best-of-seven-game series, and will play in Game 5 of the Smythe Division semifinals tonight at the Olympic Saddledome.

“I was desperate,” King Coach Barry Melrose said. “We needed something. Being down, 3-1, (would have changed) your psyche. It was a must win. In our business you have to have the courage to do it.”

Calgary did the same thing, bringing in reserve Jeff Reese for the last two games and buffering the situation by saying that starter Mike Vernon suffered a twisted right ankle near the end of Game 2. Melrose claimed the injury was a ruse.

“No, they didn’t want him to play those games,” Melrose said. “If you believe he (Vernon) was injured, I have some swampland in Florida. He’s been brutal in our building this season and before that, too. We always knew we were going to play Reese. They should play Reese (tonight).”

Calgary Coach Dave King, staying in character, did not say whether Reese or Vernon will start in Game 5. Vernon says the ankle is better. Reese does not expect to learn whether he is starting until the morning skate.

For both teams, the goaltending situation has been the most intriguing story of the series. That, and the inability of Wayne Gretzky, Luc Robitaille, Tomas Sandstrom and Tony Granato to score a goal in the first four games. The four King forwards combined for 141 goals during the regular season, and Gretzky and Sandstrom missed a substantial portion with injuries. Robitaille scored 10 goals and 12 points in seven regular-season games against Calgary, but he has been held to one assist during the playoffs.

“The team is looking for someone to get a big goal,” said Gretzky, who has three assists. “You don’t try to rack up points and goals. First of all, it’s very different in the playoffs. We just need a big goal--we don’t need two or three goals. . . . When you’re in the playoffs, the focus is to win. If you’re into individual statistics, you’re in the wrong business.

“If we won 14 more games and I didn’t score, I’d be the happiest guy in the room because we’d win the Stanley Cup.”

In the playoffs, the attention often shifts to goaltending and defense. When the series opened, Gretzky predicted that Stauber would make an appearance, even though he was demoted to No. 3 for the first two games. When the Kings fell behind, 2-1, Melrose started Stauber. Hrudey had not been playing poorly, so the King coach risked being second-guessed.

“You can’t worry about that stuff,” Melrose said. “I leave that to psychologists and psychiatrists, the people who make the big bucks. I don’t know why the trend has gone toward one goalie. Cap (Raeder) and I have been watching films of the Stanley Cups playoffs, and they were flipping goaltenders all the time in the ‘60s and ‘70s.

“It changed with guys like Bernie Parent and Ken Dryden. Obviously it depends on the goalie. It’s like in baseball, there was a four-man rotation. Now it’s five and everyone’s scared to go back to four.”

Certainly Melrose and King aren’t afraid to make changes. Hrudey could return for the Kings by the end of the series. And there’s still plenty of time for Reese and Vernon to play again.

A week ago, Hrudey was helping Stauber get through his personal crisis. Now Hrudey is sitting and watching.

“Robb and I have a great relationship,” Hrudey said. “I’m a big supporter and I think he can do a lot in the NHL. . . . Change is good for a lot of reasons. If we continue on, I don’t think it’s been my last playoff game.”

King Notes

Defenseman Charlie Huddy, still suffering from the lingering effects of a pulled groin, didn’t practice on Monday but received therapy. He is expected to play in Game 5. . . . There was some talk about moving Game 7 (if necessary) to Sunday afternoon for ABC. Flame Coach Dave King disliked the idea, saying: “Are they going to ask us to change uniforms next?” King Coach Barry Melrose did not care. “If they want us to play in the middle of the night, we will,” he said. Apparently, the game will not be moved, however, according to an NHL spokesperson.