Kings on Royal Streak

Two weeks ago, the Kings were considered dead after a five-goal defeat at Phoenix extended their winless streak to a season-high seven games.

Critics had a field day. They said the Kings were destined to fail to reach the playoffs for the fourth consecutive season, and that if they were smart, they would keep losing to improve their chances of getting teenage forward Joe Thornton, considered the top player in the draft.

The answer to the critics has been the Kings’ longest win streak since the 1991-92 season.

In winning five games in a row, including home victories over Colorado and the Mighty Ducks, the Kings are back in the Western Conference playoff race.

Six teams are within five points of each other in fighting for the final three playoff berths, and the Kings are only four points from the eighth spot going into tonight’s game at Edmonton.

After the loss to the Coyotes, they were eight points out.

There are several theories behind the turnaround.

“Everyone on the team has a good feeling now, and they are playing with a little cockiness,” said goaltender Stephane Fiset, who has two shutouts while starting and winning each of the last five games.

After beginning the season with a shutout win over the New York Islanders, Fiset struggled to win only seven of his next 34 starts, but he has regained his confidence since a meeting with goaltending coach Don Edwards.

“We talked about a lot of things, but we just had to clear some things to make sure we were on the same page. . . ,” Edwards said. “What we were able to do is to get him back to where he was at the start of the year. Now, you are seeing the Stephane Fiset we traded for.

“The biggest thing I tried to stress to him is that for a while he was thinking too much about wins and losses. . . . I tried to get him to focus on the next shot or the next save, which is what he’s done and we’re getting a few more goals now.”

The Kings have outscored opponents, 19-5, in the last five games.

Fiset, and others, say the team hit rock bottom after the 6-1 loss to the Coyotes.

“That was the turning point because that loss just made everyone mad,” said Fiset, who last season played with Stanley Cup champion Colorado before being traded to the Kings in June.

Said winger Vitali Yachmenev: “Before that game, we were thinking about making the playoffs with every game. Now, we don’t worry about the playoffs. We just come out and play hard.”

When the team was losing, the Kings’ excuses ranged from the team’s lack of talent and effort to youth and injuries. No more.

“This is a huge time of year for us,” Coach Larry Robinson said. “Every game is important. This is when you can get a true reading of players.”

For at least the last five games, Robinson has liked what he has seen from his team--especially the aggressive play from young defensemen such as Aki Berg and Sean O’Donnell.

Instead of seeing 29 rapid-fire shots on goal in a period, as Colorado did against Fiset in a 3-1 win on Feb. 11, King opponents have averaged fewer than 10 shots per period over the last five games.

The return of forward Dimitri Khristich, who had sat out seven games because of an eye injury, has also helped revive the offense.

“Maybe [Khristich] came back hungrier because he had a few weeks to watch,” said linemate Yachmenev. Their line, along with Vladimir Tsyplakov, has accounted for four goals and 12 assists in four games since Khristich’s return.

Robinson points out that nothing breeds success like success.

“The biggest thing for us is that we’re winning,” he said. “Before, everyone was frustrated when we played hard and lost. Hockey’s an emotional game. When you’re winning it’s a lot easier to come to practice. We’ve had injuries all season and that really hasn’t changed. We dug a hole for ourselves early, and the only way we can get out of it is to win games. And that’s what we’ve started to do.”