Players Deliver a Strong Message

If only the Senate could get together as often in as brief a time, with as much agreement as the Kings did Tuesday in Dallas, where:

* After practice, Coach Larry Robinson gave a state-of-the-playoff-race address to the team, pointing out that it’s lousy, and there are only 37 games to make it better.

“We’re running out of time,” he said. “For a while, we were two points out of the playoffs, behind San Jose, and then we let it slip.”

* After that meeting, Rob Blake, the King captain who speaks seldom but carries a big stick, pulled the players to the other side of the Reunion Arena ice and talked about effort, or lack of same, that has left the team in a hole so deep that it’s going to take a massive winning streak amid a daunting schedule for the Kings to peak out.

“We’re in a tough spot,” he said. “Everybody has had four or five days off [for the All-Star break], and now it’s time. In the next five [to] 10 games, if we don’t play .600 hockey . . . “

It’s over.

* After that, Blake, Luc Robitaille and Garry Galley, players who wear letters on their sweaters signifying leadership, met with coaches, suggesting they bench players not putting out. “The coaches can do all they want, but if we don’t do what we’re supposed to do, nothing happens,” Blake said. “But that’s all a lot of words. We’ve got to play, not talk.”

*

Center Ray Ferraro and winger Craig Johnson are on the trip, and Ferraro, who has had a knee injury, will probably play Friday at Washington. Johnson’s rib injury makes him less certain.

Tonight at Dallas,

5:30 p.m. PST

* Site--Reunion Arena.

* Radio--KRLA (1110).

* Records--Kings 16-25-4, Stars 27-9-7.

* Record vs. Stars--0-1.

* Update--Dallas is getting most of its scoring from its top line: Mike Modano (15 goals, 31 assists), Brett Hull (16, 16) and Jere Lehtinen (15, 11), and from defenseman Darryl Sydor (12, 24). That could change with the return of center Joe Nieuwendyk, who has missed five games because of knee tendinitis. The issue was not certain Tuesday but Jamie Storr will probably be the starting King goalie.