Murray, Moger Get Key Goals

It was kids’ night Saturday, until the Kings’ Glen Murray got involved.

Murray, the team’s top scorer last season, converted a centering pass from rookie Olli Jokinen at 44 seconds of the third period to earn the Kings a 2-2 tie in regulation time with the Colorado Avalanche before 6,721 at the MGM Grand Hotel’s Garden Arena in Las Vegas.

The Kings won, 3-2, when Sandy Moger scored in a sudden-death shootout that went 10 rounds.

Murray’s goal came with the Kings owning a two-man advantage and using it as an investment in the future of Jokinen, their celebrated rookie center, in their exhibition opener.

All three goals to that point had been scored by rookies, with the Kings’ rookie Pavel Rosa celebrating his return to hockey after almost a season off by deflecting a shot by Doug Bodger past Colorado goaltender Patrick Roy at 57 seconds of the second period to tie the score, 1-1.

*

Defenseman Aki Berg, who has refused to sign a $495,000 contract to return to the Kings, has signed instead with TPS, a club in his native Finland, and scored a power-play goal in his first game, on Saturday, according to his agent, Larry Kelly.

The TPS contract contains a clause that will allow Berg to break the deal if he signs with an NHL team but Sept. 30.

“I hope he’s skating,” said King General Manager Dave Taylor, who has had no contact with Berg’s agent since the defenseman left for Finland on Wednesday. “I hope he’s in shape.”

Kelly said that he would not initiate further contact with the Kings.