Tough Setback Follows Big Win

For those who have followed the Kings in recent years, Saturday night’s 4-2 loss to the New York Islanders was very predictable, and here’s why:

The second of back-to-back road games have been rough on the Kings especially after a big victory like Friday’s 5-1 win at Detroit. Over the last three seasons, the Kings are 2-10-4 in the second road game, including Saturday’s loss before a crowd of 11,276.

Since 1992, the Kings have not won at the Nassau Coliseum, but less than two weeks ago, they defeated the Islanders, 3-2, at the Forum. In 24 seasons, the Kings have only swept New York twice, the last time five seasons ago.

Normally, King Coach Larry Robinson does not have too many good things to say after a loss, but that was not the case Saturday.

“I thought everybody played extremely well,” Robinson said after the Kings lost for the first time on their current five-game trip (2-1-1). “The Isles were waiting for us. It’s our second big game, and it’s tough on back-to-back games. It’s not a cakewalk.”

With goaltender Frederic Chabot getting his third start of the season because Stephane Fiset had started the last four games, the Kings fell behind early to New York, who took a 3-0 first-period lead on goals by Robert Reichel, Claude Lapointe and Zigmund Palffy.

Instead of rolling over, the Kings fought back to close within 3-2 on goals by Sandy Moger, at 14:51 of the first period, and Luc Robitaille at 9:42 of the second.

But, the game turned when King defenseman Rob Blake was called for tripping and Palffy scored another power-play goal with 43 seconds remaining in the period to give the Islanders a 4-2 lead.

The Kings had a good scoring chance with five seconds remaining in the period, but New York’s Dennis Vaske grabbed Robitaille’s stick in front of the crease and kept him from knocking the puck in an open net. No penalty was called because referee Dan Marouelli said he didn’t see an infraction.

“That was a [key play] because we would have been down only, 4-3, going into the third,” said King center Jozef Stumpel, whose two assists gave him 18 points this season.

“We had lots of scoring chances, but we didn’t have luck tonight.”

Added Robinson: “It’s a little frustrating when you right off the bat get down a couple of goals. You’re fighting from behind. I think it would have been a different game had they been able to see that one hold at the end of the [second period]. Luc had an open net. It makes a big difference, but what are you going to do?”

In the third period, the Kings launched 12 of their 33 shots on goal against New York backup goalie Eric Fichaud (2-1-1) but with no success.

Chabot, who may not get too many more starts this season with Jamie Storr now recovered from an exhibition-season groin injury and playing with the Long Beach Ice Dogs, performed well with 27 saves but dropped to 1-1-1.

“Freddie can’t be faulted on any of those goals,” Robinson said. “I thought he made some big stops.”

The Kings, who will finish the trip Tuesday against the New Jersey Devils at Continental Arena, again were undone by mental mistakes.

“We played hard and that’s a habit we have to have,” defenseman Garry Galley said. “We came out hitting in the game and we worked our butts off . . . but if there was one thing that we were trying not to do . . . that was get in penalty trouble early. We did, and they got some goals and that’s been our nemesis. That’s the one negative from tonight.”