Road to Playoffs Might Begin Here

At first, Andy Murray was somewhat dismissive of the Kings’ seven-games-in-11-nights trip that begins tonight with a game against the Blackhawks.

The key to the trip, the coach said, was getting through it because the Kings are at Staples Center for 14 of their last 20 games.

But he has caught the fever--four wins in your last five games will do that--and recognizes that in playing at Chicago, Calgary, Edmonton, Vancouver and San Jose there is opportunity. All of those cities are in competition with the Kings for the points that can help assure the eighth and final playoff spot in the Western Conference.

They are, in the parlance, four-point games: the two points you can earn for winning, plus the two you deny your opponent by not losing.

“Maybe we can put ourselves in the playoffs with a good trip,” Murray said. “I don’t think we can lose a playoff spot if we don’t, because there are still a lot of games to play.”

True enough, but success in those cities--for that matter, also in Detroit and Buffalo, the other teams the Kings will play on the trip--can not only add to the five-point cushion they enjoy over the ninth-place Mighty Ducks, it can help them in the climb to a better seeding in the playoffs.

The Kings are eighth in the West, one point behind Colorado and two points behind San Jose.

*

The Kings are sending defenseman Fran Kaberle to Lowell of the AHL. Kaberle, who started the season with the Kings and had nine assists, was sent to Long Beach for a bit after he wore down with the NHL schedule, but was brought back to the Kings for practice sessions.

The move to Lowell will allow him to concentrate on working on his game without the tug of back-and-forth existence between the NHL and IHL.

*

The Kings are getting a physical presence from Steve McKenna, a fourth-line winger; and Len Barrie, a center-turned-winger, and both are getting ice time. That also is getting them the requisite 40 games needed to include them in the expansion draft to stock the teams in Minnesota and Columbus, Ohio, in June.

McKenna has 35 games, Barrie 37.

TONIGHT

at Chicago

5:30 PST, Fox Sports Net

* Site--United Center.

* Radio--KRLA (1110).

* Records--Kings 26-22-7-3, Blackhawks 19-29-7-2.

* Record vs. Blackhawks--1-1.

* Update--The Kings haven’t lost at Chicago since Oct. 20, 1996, and had won 10 in a row overall against the Blackhawks until being blown away, 8-4, on Dec. 18 at Staples Center in the last of a three-game disaster that included thumpings at New Jersey and against the New York Rangers. Chicago will be playing the second of four games in a home stand, and the first was a 4-3 loss to the Ducks on Monday night when the Blackhawks blew a 3-1 lead. They have been outscored, 21-5, in their last 11 third periods. Tony Amonte leads them in goals with 26, two of them Monday night.