Johnson Makes Impact on Line With Robitaille

When you are moved to a different line in the NHL, the proper response is to say that your job doesn’t change because you don’t change. Only your position changes.

“It’s the same game,” Craig Johnson said. “You try and do the same things as you did before, and you try not to put any extra pressure on yourself.”

But pressure comes with the job when you switch from a role of checking winger to a line with Luc Robitaille.

“I don’t want to play with anybody on a line who doesn’t want to score,” Robitaille said. “There are plenty of opportunities.”

King Coach Andy Murray agreed.

“When we moved C.J., we had more expectations of his offense,” he said.

Murray moved Johnson into the line with Robitaille and Steve Reinprecht to replace Jason Blake, who had a three-game trial in replacing injured Glen Murray. Johnson, whose forte is speed and whose reputation is that of not being a finisher, stayed just as fast, but also had three points in his first four games, two of them coming on goals.

One was against the New York Rangers. The other came against Dallas on Thursday when Johnson had the puck on right wing on a two-on-one break against the Stars’ Derian Hatcher. Robitaille was on the other wing, and the expectation of just about everybody in the building was that he would get the puck and the shot.

Instead, Johnson fired it into the net for only his third goal of the season.

“You think maybe Luc will want a new linemate?” Johnson said, laughing.

Not really.

“He did what he was supposed to do,” Robitaille said.

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Glen Murray is scheduled to try out his knee in a skate at HealthSouth Training Center in El Segundo today.

He was injured Nov. 18 in a game against Colorado, and arthroscopic surgery determined the injury was a problem below the kneecap.

Murray has spent rehabilitation time on the exercise bicycle, a boring way to spend time.

“I’m not training for the Tour de France,” Murray said.