Gambling Comes With Some Risks

As one of the desperate measures that the Western Conference playoff race calls for, the Kings have begun sending defensemen in rushes to the net, and they are occasionally paying a high price for it.

Outnumbered rushes have accounted for goals by Dallas, the Mighty Ducks, Nashville and, on Saturday night, Calgary when long rebounds or outlet passes have caught defensemen in offensive territory and forwards out of position.

It’s called “third-man high,” and the forward is supposed to be the third man.

“We’ve been struggling to score,” said defenseman Doug Bodger, who had his first goal of the season Saturday night in a 4-1 loss to Calgary.

“We’ve talked about it in the room, and said, ‘if you want us to create some more offense for you, you’ve got to be there for us.’ ”

In this case, “there” means a forward rotates back to become a defenseman when the defenseman goes forward in the offensive zone. It’s supposed to be an automatic thing, a matter of recognizing opportunity, and it usually is.

“You want to put pressure on the [other team’s] forwards, tire them out,” defenseman Sean O’Donnell said.

But when it doesn’t work, when the third man isn’t there, King goalies have had terrifying views of charges that are the result of mistakes.

It’s worked, to some extent, because four of the last five of the Kings’ even-strength goals have been scored by defensemen: one by Bodger, three by Rob Blake.

But the wins have not come. The Kings have lost four in a row, and have scored only five goals of any description in those games.

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Winger Vladimir Tsyplakov will rejoin the Kings today for a full practice in hopes that he will be ready to play Saturday against Vancouver.

Tsyplakov was in a 22-game scoreless slump when he injured his knee in a game against Edmonton on Feb. 18.