Audette Is Moved Down

Friday marked Donald Audette’s first anniversary with the Kings, but there was hardly a celebration. When Audette arrived at Iceoplex, he found a white sweater hanging from a hook under his name.

White sweater: fourth line.

“Every time I step on the ice, they get everything I have,” said Audette, rankled at what he considered a demotion, which was prompted by another move involving Luc Robitaille. “I don’t know why [he was skating on the fourth line].”

The switch was made for several reasons and probably will be short-term.

Robitaille has one goal and one assist in the seven games since he was taken off injured reserve, where he spent a month because of a broken bone in his foot.

“He needs to be around the net more, and I think he’s handling the puck too much,” Coach Andy Murray said. “He shouldn’t be a puck-handler. He should be a puck-finisher.”

So Robitaille goes to left wing, Glen Murray moves to right and Audette, who also has 11 goals, goes to the fourth line.

“We want Donald to show his feistiness at both ends of the rink,” said Andy Murray, who numbered Audette among the defensively missing in the Kings’ 7-1 loss at New Jersey on Tuesday and 8-3 loss the next night to the New York Rangers.

The first line--until Jozef Stumpel returns, perhaps as early as Wednesday--becomes Len Barrie, flanked by Ziggy Palffy and Vladimir Tsyplakov.

TONIGHT

vs. Chicago, 7:30

Fox Sports Net

* Site--Staples Center.

* Radio--KRLA (1110).

* Records--Kings 16-10-6-1, Blackhawks 8-20-4-2.

* Record vs. Blackhawks--2-0.

* Update--The Kings haven’t lost to Chicago since 1996. The Blackhawks, 2-0 losers to the Mighty Ducks Friday night, are 3-5 under Bob Pulford, who is coach in name, though Lorne Molleken remains in charge. Blackhawk winger Ed Olczyk, who had back surgery in October, returns. King defenseman Garry Galley will sit out tonight after suffering a concussion at New Jersey on Tuesday. He played Wednesday against the Rangers, but complained Thursday of dizziness.