Kings Look for Strong Finish

The Kings can clinch a playoff berth today with a victory or tie against the Mighty Ducks, but that won’t mean much if they stagger in and exit quickly.

That happened in 1998, when they were 8-11 over the last five weeks of the season and were swept by the St. Louis Blues, and they want to avoid a repeat.

“It’s nice to have it clinched as early as possible, but you also want to be playing your best,” defenseman Rob Blake said Friday. “Look at the top teams in the league--they’re all playing well and tuning up. Two years ago, we were on the way down the last month of the season. In 1993, we were playing our best and got to the finals.”

The Kings have a 2-0-2 streak and a three-point lead over the sixth-place Phoenix Coyotes.

“I can’t say we’ve been playing great, but not bad,” defenseman Mattias Norstrom said. “We have five games to pick it up a level, and there’s no better team to be tested against than the Ducks. We know it’s going to be a tight game because both teams need the points.”

King Coach Andy Murray said his team’s situation and its rivalry with the Ducks should provide ample motivation.

“It’s a game we need and it’s the Ducks,” he said. “You’ve got to expect your team will come to play hard. You’ve got USC-UCLA, you’ve got the Dodgers and Angels and you had the Raiders and Rams. I don’t know if you can call the Clippers and Lakers [a rivalry] but you try to talk about it being special.”

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Center Jozef Stumpel sat out Friday’s practice because of flu but is expected to play today. . . . Right wing Ziggy Palffy, sidelined since March 15 because of a sprained right shoulder, may return late next week. He skated for 20 minutes and underwent a test that found his shoulder is at 82% of full strength. However, Murray said the shoulder won’t test at 100% because of previous injuries.

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The Kings signed college free-agent center Steven Reinprecht, who led the nation in scoring with 26 goals and 66 points for Wisconsin. He can play in the Kings’ remaining five regular-season games but is ineligible for the playoffs. The 6-foot, 190-pound native of Edmonton, Canada, was a finalist for the Hobey Baker Award, given annually to the best player in college hockey.

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Marty McInnis, sidelined for 20 of the last 27 games because of a nagging groin injury, will be in the Ducks’ lineup today. He will skate on left wing, joining center Jorgen Jonsson and right wing Ladislav Kohn.

McInnis took his case to Coach Craig Hartsburg early in the week, asking for a chance to play after sitting out since a March 8 overtime loss against the New York Rangers.

“[It took] a little convincing, a little pleading,” McInnis said. “I’ve got to be honest with myself. The last thing I want to do is hurt the team.”

McInnis, who has 10 goals and 28 points in 57 games, also will play some on the power-play and penalty-killing units.

“But we think he can help us most in five-on-five situations,” Hartsburg said. “We think he can give us a boost. He gives us more speed and skill. Marty’s a smart player. We wouldn’t play him unless we believed he could help us.”

Jeff Nielsen will be scratched to make room for McInnis in the lineup. Ed Ward, who was scratched in favor of Stu Grimson for Sunday’s 4-3 victory over the Phoenix Coyotes, will play today.

TODAY

Mighty Ducks, 3, Channel 7

* Site--Staples Center.

* Radio--KRLA (1110), XTRA (690).

* Records--Kings 36-30-11-4, Ducks 32-33-12-2.

* Series record--Ducks lead, 2-0-2.

* Update--The Ducks have been idle since Sunday. They’re three points behind San Jose for the eighth and final berth, but they’re 8-1-2 in their last 11 games against the Kings. Goalie Guy Hebert is the key reason for that. In his last nine starts against the Kings he’s 7-0-2 with a 1.41 goals-against average, .952 save percentage and a shutout.

* Tickets--Sold out.