Murray in Holiday Spirit

Yes, that was Glen Murray the other day, going through stores, buying women’s apparel and pots and pans.

Murray is a bachelor and his girlfriend was back in school in Canada, so he didn’t have anyone to whom he could delegate the duties of playing Santa to a Southern California family, so he did it himself.

Many people received gifts today because the Kings, working in conjunction with Para Los Ninos, adopted 56 families for Christmas, getting lists of their needs and desires, with appropriate sizes.

“I was buying women’s shoes and dresses,” Murray said. “I didn’t know what I was doing, but it was fun, and at Christmas time it was rewarding.”

This was the third Christmas the Kings had participated in the program, with Terry-Lynn Galley, wife of defenseman Garry, overseeing their efforts.

“We’re pretty fortunate to be in the positions we are,” defenseman Rob Blake said. “For us to be able to help a family, well, is just a good thing.”

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Maybe the third time is the charm for the glass at Staples Center.

Reacting to complaints of a prism-like effect that distorted the views of the paying customers, the Kings put in new glass atop the boards around the ice last month, and the complaints were quelled.

Except one.

That complaint is by Lee Zeidman, vice president for operations for the building, who simply said, “I guess my standards are higher.”

He flew in representatives from the glass company in Canada, took video of play through the glass and got what he wanted: another set of glass panels for the arena, to be installed before the new year.

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Winger Bill Huard operates under no illusions as to why he was called up to the Kings from Lowell of the American Hockey League.

In his first shift Wednesday night, he earned a roughing penalty for knocking the helmet off San Jose’s Ronnie Stern.

“From the day I signed here, I knew what my role was,” he said. “It’s the same role I had at Edmonton and Dallas.”

And Ottawa before that.

“It’s to create space for our guys, limit space for their guys,” he said.

That is done physically, by serving notice that no liberties should be taken with the King scorers.

“It’s the role I’m best at,” Huard said. “If I could be a goal scorer, I would. But I’m a role player.”

And he’s in town, because other teams’ role players were battering the Kings.