A Chance for Redemption

The Kings welcomed a midnight trip across the state after their 4-2 loss to Florida on Wednesday.

They face Tampa Bay tonight with an opportunity to do one of two things: (1) fold up on this five-game trip after blowing a game to the Panthers; or (2) relegate the loss to a fleeting memory.

“I think it’s great that we’ve got the game [today],” Coach Andy Murray said. “We get to go right back at them and not feel sorry for ourselves.”

To guard against fatigue, Murray spread playing time around all four lines Wednesday and kept the first line, Luc Robitaille-Jozef Stumpel-Ziggy Palffy, on the bench more than usual.

Stumpel was given the most minutes among that trio: 18:44. That did not compare to the defensemen.

Rob Blake, who has been logging minutes as if he were being paid overtime, played 29:24 and his partner, Mattias Norstrom, played 25:44.

*

Murray held off deciding whether to play goalie Jamie Storr tonight at Tampa Bay, although it’s probable that Storr will start. “I don’t know,” Murray said. “To change your lineup just because you lost, it is probably not a good thing.”

*

King left winger Steve McKenna will undergo laser eye surgery today to repair a retina, injured when he was hit just below the eye by the stick of Ricard Persson in Monday’s game at St. Louis.

McKenna, who received five stitches for the cut, is expected to miss up to two weeks.

TONIGHT

at Tampa Bay, 4:30 PDT, Fox Sports West

* Site--Ice Palace.

* Radio--KRLA (1110).

* Records--Kings 2-1, Lightning 1-0.

* Record vs. Lightning (1998-99)--0-2.

* Update--The Tampa Bay Lightning has a new owner, Bill Davidson; a new general manager, Rick Dudley; and a new coach, Steve Ludzik, all of whom had ties to the Detroit Vipers of the IHL.