SCHEDULE

Dallas leads series, 3-2

Game 1: Buffalo 3, Dallas 2 (OT)

Game 2: Dallas 4, Buffalo 2

Game 3: Dallas 2, Buffalo 1

Game 4: Buffalo 2, Dallas 1

Game 5: Dallas 2, Buffalo 0

Game 6: Saturday at Buffalo, 5 p.m.

Game 7: Tuesday at Dallas, 5 p.m.*

*--if necessary; all times Pacific

NOTES / Kings Trying to Find Plan for Palffy

The Kings and New York Islanders haven’t given up on trying to find a formula they and the NHL can live with for a trade that would bring high-scoring winger Ziggy Palffy to Los Angeles.

King General Manager Dave Taylor and assistant Kevin Gilmore were closeted in Taylor’s office most of Thursday, awaiting word from Islander General Manager Mike Milbury on what it will take to pry Palffy away. The Kings offered Josh Green, Jason Podollan, Scott Barney, Mathieu Biron and their first-round draft pick this year for Palffy, Mike Watt, the rights to Bryan Smolinski and goaltender Marcel Cousineau; their first offer included money, but NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman told the parties he won’t permit an exchange of cash to deter the Islanders from selling off assets and debilitating their team.

Colin Campbell, the NHL’s director of operations and a former New York Ranger coach, said he and Bettman talked about various scenarios but he would not confirm reports he vetoed the Kings’ offer as informally presented by Islander co-owner Edward Milstein.

“All I’m doing for Gary is giving my humble analysis of the hockey aspects of the trade,” Campbell said. “A couple of times we’ve had some discussions, but Gary is wrestling with the bigger picture. There’s responsibility and accountability for the league. . . . We’re also responsible to the other franchises in the league, but Mike has to do what he has to do, and when they make a trade call, Gary wants us to give it special consideration more than other trade calls.”

The Islanders asked the Kings to sweeten the pot, and the Kings are willing--to a point. They have refused Milbury’s requests for Olli Jokinen, and if Milbury insists on including the Finnish center the deal will be off. But the Kings are willing to give up a regular player to satisfy the Islanders’ need for forwards who can step in soon and meet the NHL’s requirement that the deal make sense from a hockey standpoint. It’s unlikely the Islanders will take the rights to defenseman Aki Berg, because his salary demands exceed their small budget.

The Kings and Islanders have had frequent conversations and will continue to do so, sources said. They took a break Wednesday because Milbury had a prior commitment and left his office mid-afternoon Pacific Time.

The Islanders’ first offer came from the Rangers, who offered Todd Harvey, Niklas Sundstrom, Patrick Leahy and a first-round pick for Palffy and defenseman Rich Pilon. That stalled when the Islanders reportedly asked Cablevision--which owns the Rangers--to increase the Islanders’ TV rights fees and televise more games. The Rangers, although eager to acquire Palffy, are said to be unwilling to improve their offer.

*

Buffalo defenseman Rhett Warrener was helped off the ice with an apparent ankle injury suffered when Dallas defenseman Derian Hatcher fell on him during a scrum at game’s end. His right foot was placed in a cast as a precautionary measure and he will be reevaluated today. . . . The coaches got into a shouting match at game’s end, but neither said why. “Kind of two guys from Warburg saying hello to each other,” Dallas’ Ken Hitchcock said, referring to the hometown of Buffalo’s Lindy Ruff. “He’s from Warburg, I’m from Edmonton. That’s not too far away.” Said Ruff: “I was angry because Hitch was angry at me. He started yelling at me and I was yelling back, but the crowd was so loud I couldn’t hear what he was yelling. I doubt he could hear what I was yelling.”. . . The Stars made two lineup changes to accommodate the return of Brett Hull (groin) and Benoit Hogue (knee). Left wing Jon Sim and center Tony Hrkac were scratched from the lineup.