Barrie, Blake Have Ups, Downs

Len Barrie and Jason Blake are on the kind of roller coaster they charge major dollars to ride at Magic Mountain.

Barrie had two assists for the Ice Dogs on Sunday at Cincinnati, was recalled by the Kings on Monday and will be the first-line center tonight when they play host to Edmonton.

Blake was scratched Wednesday at Detroit, was the first-line center Saturday against Philadelphia and figures to be scratched again tonight for the game against the Oilers.

“Len is a first- or second-line center,” Coach Andy Murray said. “Part of our philosophy here is not to alter lines, but to bring people in to play.”

It’s part of a role-playing scenario envisioned by Murray when he became the Kings’ coach in June. The idea is to keep the lines intact as much as possible and bring in players from the minor leagues to replace those of missing players.

Jozef Stumpel underwent surgery Monday for a sports hernia and he is an offensive center. Barrie had 10 goals and 20 points at Long Beach, so he is the replacement.

Blake is an offensive center but was playing on the fourth line until he was bounced from the job by Dan Bylsma in the Kings’ search for gritty play.

Barrie had been told he would be back.

He will play on a line with Ziggy Palffy--”Len’s job is to get his right wing some pucks,” said Murray, laughing--and with winger Vladimir Tsyplakov, himself on something of a roller coaster. Tsyplakov will have played on the first, second and fourth lines in four games. He replaces Luc Robitaille, out at least two weeks because of a broken foot.

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Another change comes on defense, where Aki Berg rejoins Sean O’Donnell after sitting out two games to ponder his play.

“I think I learned a little bit,” said Berg, talking of reaction to where the puck is on the ice, among other things. “It helped a bit.”

It also did something else.

“It . . . me off,” said Berg, largely a passive, if massive individual. “I want to . . . play.”

TONIGHT

vs. Edmonton, 7:30

Fox Sports West

* Site--Staples Center.

* Radio--KRLA (1110).

* Records--Kings 9-4-3, Oilers 4-7-3-2.

* Record vs. Oilers--0-1.

* Update--The Kings blew a two-goal lead at Edmonton Oct. 16 and lost, 5-4, when Daniel Cleary scored two late goals. But this isn’t at Edmonton, where the Oilers are 4-2-3. It’s on the road, where they are 0-5-0-2.