Attendance Is Watchword

Attendance has been a problem for the Kings this season, and two nights after a sellout crowd watched them lose to the New York Rangers, 12,086 attended Saturday night’s game against the Ottawa Senators at the Forum.

With only seven home games remaining in the regular season, King Coach Larry Robinson hopes more fans will get involved to help the team’s playoff push.

“It’s kind of do or die right now,” said Robinson, whose team has three games left in its current five-game homestand. “It’s important for us to get more support because it would give us a great boost.

“We have a young, fragile team. People do not realize how much of a lift they give the team. The fans who have been coming have been very patient with us . . . they make a difference.”

In 34 home games this season, the Kings have averaged 12,186 fans, including four sellout crowds of 16,005.

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For the first time since Feb. 18, the Kings had captain Rob Blake in the lineup against the Senators. Blake, who missed seven games, had been out because of tendinitis in his left knee. . . . Winger Kevin Stevens missed his seventh game because of an injured left ankle, and defenseman Steven Finn did not play because of a shoulder injury.