Goal Seems to Be Farthest Thing From Their Mind

Coach Larry Robinson has been stressing since training camp that goals come from shots taken close to the goal. He gets grayer with each passing game in which the Kings’ shots come from the faceoff circles and beyond, with no follow-up in heavy traffic.

“Look at why we don’t have a better record,” he said of the Kings’ 20-31-4 mark. “I don’t think it has anything to do with the system. Everybody knows what to do. It has to do with application of the system. They know where they’re supposed to be. They aren’t always there.”

The reasons are many, and in some cases have to do with standing ground and taking what comes. And, perhaps, in some cases they have to do with ability.

“I don’t know,” Robinson said. “Maybe what we’re trying to do, they’re not capable of doing.

“When you’re struggling, you learn more about a player than you do in the good times. Anybody can play when you’re winning. But when you’re struggling, you’ve got to scratch and claw for every puck. You’ve got to hunt for every point.”

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Right wing Glen Murray will not play tonight, but he has a new knee brace and has been upgraded to questionable for Saturday’s game at Calgary.

TONIGHT vs. Edmonton

7:30, Fox Sports West

* Site--Great Western Forum.

* Radio--KRLA (1110).

* Records--Kings 20-31-4, Oilers 22-25-8.

* Record vs. Oilers--2-0-1.

* Update--If the Kings are going to make any kind of move, tonight would be the night to start, because the Oilers hold the final playoff spot, six points ahead going into Wednesday’s game at Anaheim. Edmonton’s Boris Mironov says he expects he or Roman Hamrlik to be traded in the near future.

* Tickets--(888) 546-4752.