Kings Find Safe Haven With the Islanders, 5-2

The preparation was simple enough: Write the New York Islander lineup on a board, then point at various Kings and ask them to compare themselves with the visitors.

Which Islanders were better?

The answer came Monday night at Staples Center when the Kings got two goals from Luc Robitaille, three assists from Ziggy Palffy and a strong effort from goalie Stephane Fiset in a 5-2 welcome-home win.

It was exactly what the Kings needed because it followed a 3-2 loss Saturday at Toronto in which the Kings blew a 2-0 lead in the third period; and it came before Detroit comes to call Thursday night.

“This was a game that was tough to play,” Coach Andy Murray said. “It was a good measuring stick for our team.”

It also provided what Murray calls “bonus points,” which means it pushed the Kings into a seventh-place tie with Edmonton, which has played one more game; and only two points behind San Jose, which has played four more.

The Kings shook the travel cobwebs from their skates midway through the opening period against New York, which had won three games in a row for the first time this season.

Fiset held the fort until the cavalry arrived.

“Fiset made a couple of saves for us, and then we got a goal and got going,” said Jozef Stumpel, who had that goal, his fourth of the season, at 14:50. It was earned when Robitaille rebounded a Palffy shot and threaded a pass from behind the goal line, between goalie Jamie Weekes’ skate and the net. Stumpel’s shot was to a largely open goal and gave the Kings a 1-0 lead.

The “couple of saves” came on shots by former King Josh Green on the Islanders’ first power play. In all, Green had four shots at Fiset, and combined the pucks traveled about 15 feet.

“You’d think he’d let me have at least one,” said Green, his smile at the memory overcoming his frustration.

“I didn’t know it was him,” Fiset said. “I don’t have time to look at their backs [where the names are on the sweaters].”

Fiset’s mission was to stop the shots and stop play whenever possible to thwart momentum and give the Kings time to start some.

“They were getting some guys [mainly Green] in my face,” Fiset said, “and they were going right after us.”

And then it became 1-0.

And then 2-0 only 2:12 later, when Garry Galley took a pass from Bob Corkum, skated around an Islander wall and fired at Weekes, who played the puck poorly.

Two goals by Robitaille and one by Glen Murray in the second period and the rout was on, delighting most of the announced 14,913 on hand.

Robitaille’s goals were his 540th and 541st, tying him with Stan Mikita for 19th place on the NHL list.

Palffy assisted on both Robitaille goals. His three assists, tied a personal best that he had achieved twice before, both times while playing for the Islanders.

“It’s good to get points against any NHL team,” said Palffy, shrugging off any reference to a vendetta.

The Kings had gone on the road a week ago, played three games with a heightened energy level and limped with only two points, earned at Nashville. After finishing that trek, partly because of its futility, partly because of the way it ended at Toronto, they dragged emotionally, but picked up early enough Monday night for it not to matter.

Then again, they were playing the Islanders, who are ahead of only expansion Atlanta in the league’s standings. That’s a game you’re set up to win, as long as you can have the right answer to the question which Islanders are better? The correct answer has to be “none.”