Kings Can’t Scare Up a Goal

Sometime today, there will be a semi-private screening of a new horror flick that’s getting really old.

It’s “Four Days Before Halloween, Part Way Too Many”, featuring a cast of so many of the Kings that Coach Larry Robinson’s patience is nearing its end.

“It’s a huge disappointment,” Robinson said after the Kings were beaten Tuesday night, 1-0, on a goal from beyond the blue line by the New York Islanders’ Joe Sacco at 2:01 of the third period.

“We can’t afford not to have everybody working together every night. We’ve got a kid [goalie Manny Legace] in the net standing on his ear. We’ve just got some prima donnas that just aren’t putting out, and it’s time for it to stop.”

Legace, who will yield his place in the net tonight at New Jersey when starter Stephane Fiset returns after missing four games because of a strained groin, stopped 33 of 34 shots. On several occasions they came from point-blank range, but the goal was a bad one, coming on a clear shot from about 70 feet before an announced 9,084 at Nassau Coliseum that looked to be about half that size.

“It cost us the game,” Legace said. “It doesn’t matter if you stop 60 shots, you can’t let that one in. I saw it coming in and was going to catch it in my belly, and then all of a sudden it wasn’t there any more. It was through my legs. It’s the worst feeling in the world. It was a horrible goal.”

It was a fortunate goal.

“Once in a while you get a break like that,” said Islander assistant Lorne Henning, standing in while Coach Mike Milbury is in Vienna trying to lure New York forward Ziggy Palffy back to the NHL.

It was also a goal that appeared to have been matched by the Kings’ Rob Blake at 13:45 of the third period. Blake took a pass from Glen Murray and appeared to have a lead on the field, but he stumbled--according to referee Kerry Fraser--and the puck went in off his shin pad.

“They said your momentum can’t carry the puck in,” said Blake, who spent time after the game having a cut under his left eye stitched up, courtesy of a puck shot by Claude Lapointe. “The way I saw it was it hit [goalie Tommy Salo’s] pad, then hit my pad and went into the net. . . . I kinda thought the rebound went in.”

Fraser didn’t and waved it off, saving Salo’s third shutout of the season.

Robinson bought the explanation. He was more concerned because “that was the only traffic we got at the net tonight anyways.”

“You can’t score goals playing on the perimeter like we’re playing,” Robinson said.

“The goals that are going in are goals that are being created by people going to the net, and we are absolutely creating no traffic at the net. Some guys are going there, but there’s not a commitment by everybody.

“We’re getting some chances, but guys aren’t doing what it takes to fight through checks to get in there for the rebounds. We’re all waiting on the outside with our sticks cocked, saying, ‘Get me the puck.’ That puck doesn’t have legs. You’ve got to work, and you’ve got to muck, and you’ve got to grind and you’ve got to do what it takes to get the goals.”

It’s one explanation for the Kings being outshot, 14-4, in the first period, including 10-1 in the first 10 minutes. . It was 25-13 after two periods and 34-20 for the game.

It also was a no-hitter of sorts.

“We turned away from way too many checks tonight,” Robinson said. “We’re supposed to be a physical team and we got out-hit by a way smaller team. That shouldn’t happen, but it happened.”

Again.

It’s been his complaint since the beginning of the season, though he had been happier with the effort in the last two games.

But Tuesday night, the Kings regressed, and today they will see how far.

“It’s time that guys started putting a mirror up to themselves and realize that they aren’t playing up to their capabilities,” Robinson said. “It’s time they be brought in and look at it. We’ve been preaching and yelling at them from Day One to get the puck in deep and go to the net. We can’t preach any more, so we’re going to have to bring them in and show them just how poorly they are playing, so that’s what’s on the menu tomorrow.”

The reviews will follow quickly, against the New Jersey Devils a few hours later.

* HELP ON THE WAY: The Mighty Ducks acquire left wing Marty McInnis from the Chicago Blackhawks for a draft choice. Page 6