Kings Get Lift From Grit Line : Hockey: Lacroix, Todd and Conacher get two goals, four points in 3-2 victory over Panthers.

The way to beat the NHL’s most surprising team was paved by, of all things, the Kings’ fourth line of left wing Eric Lacroix, center Kevin Todd and right wing Pat Conacher.

Short on flash, but long on grit.

Combining for two goals and four points, the fourth-liners led the Kings to a 3-2 victory over the Florida Panthers on Saturday night, along with the usual steadiness of goaltender Byron Dafoe, who made 32 saves.

The crowd of 13,346 at the Forum watched the Panthers (14-5-1) lose for the first time since Halloween as the Kings handed Florida its first defeat in nine games. They had been on a 7-0-1 streak, and goaltender John Vanbiesbrouck himself had been unbeaten in seven games, 6-0-1.

Although the Kings (10-5-5) may not be on an unbeaten streak, they have still put together a solid stretch of hockey, with one loss in their last seven games. And they are winning in a variety of ways, beating the Panthers without a point from rookie scoring leader Vitali Yachmenev or Wayne Gretzky, who had six against the Islanders on Thursday.

This time, the offense came from another source. Todd, Conacher and Lacroix may all be known for different things but they share the same intangible quality of hustle. Todd, frequently used as a penalty-killer, scored a shorthanded goal at 6:17 of the second period to break a 1-1 tie. He even survived a video replay review of the goal; it was ruled that the puck went in the net before King left wing Dimitri Khristich knocked the net off its moorings. Lacroix, known for receiving a wide variety of facial cuts as well as an ability to land anywhere and everywhere, assisted on what turned out to be the winning goal, setting up Conacher at the seven-minute mark of the third period to make it 3-1 .

That’s the simple description.

In fact, the assist was vintage Lacroix, coming as he was sitting on the ice and holding Panther defenseman Gord Murphy’s stick just behind Florida’s net. But, despite sitting down, Lacroix managed to get his stick free and flicked the puck to Conacher, who beat Vanbiesbrouck with a shot from the base of the left circle. Panther Coach Doug MacLean was particularly upset that no penalty was called.

“I got lucky,” Lacroix said. “I think I was sitting on the guy’s stick. I was a few feet away from the net. I was far enough back so I could push it out in front. Pat made a good shot.” It was an appropriate payoff for Conacher, who has been in and out of the lineup all season and was playing in his first game since Monday’s victory over the Mighty Ducks.

“How can you complain about being out if you’re on a first-place team,” said Conacher, who has three goals and five points in 13 games. “I’m just trying to work hard when I get the chance when he [Coach Larry Robinson] calls on me. As long as we’re winning, no one has the right to bitch.”

Said Robinson: “It’s not only my job right, now but down the line, if I keep playing Patty, it’s of no advantage in developing the younger players. But at the same time, I know what I’m getting with him. I’ve never seen him go anything less than 100%.”

Against Florida, the Kings were helped by their specialty teams--scoring once on the power play and adding a shorthanded goal--as well as Dafoe, who won his seventh game of the season.

His biggest save late in the game came with the Kings leading, 3-1, when he stopped a breakaway by right wing Scott Mellanby, the Panthers’ leading scorer. Florida made things tense with a power-play goal by Jesse Belanger with 1:01 remaining to pull to 3-2 but couldn’t tie it despite pulling Vanbiesbrouck for an extra attacker.

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King Notes

Defenseman Sean O’Donnell, who has been a pleasant and steady surprise, was scratched from the lineup for the first time this season. O’Donnell, who has one assist in 19 games, holds a plus-13 defensive rating, best among King defensemen. . . . As expected, goaltender Kelly Hrudey was activated off injured reserve after Saturday’s game and rookie goaltender Jamie Storr was officially assigned to the Kings’ International Hockey League affiliate in Phoenix.