Power Restored in L.A.

Forget the Miracle on Manchester. This was the Frenzy on Figueroa.

The Kings’ 4-3 overtime victory over the Detroit Red Wings Wednesday was the stuff of playoff dreams, an improbable comeback against daunting odds. When Eric Belanger lifted the puck over a flailing Chris Osgood 2:36 into overtime to tie the teams’ best-of-seven playoff series at 2-2, he created a memory for a generation of hockey fans--just as the Kings’ remarkable rally from a 5-0 deficit against Edmonton for a 6-5 victory in 1982 had become the focal point of the previous generation.

A precautionary video review confirmed the goal was good and sent the 18,478 fans into the night gasping over what they had just seen. The Kings were the only ones in Staples Center who seemed sure a rally was possible--and Coach Andy Murray reminded them of that 1982 comeback against the Oilers and suggested rallies are not impossible even in tight playoff games.

“Before the third period, Andy said something about that Miracle on Manchester,” said Belanger, who took a tipped pass from Ian Laperriere and rifled it above Osgood to set off roars from the crowd.

“We believed going into the third that we could do it. We have a great bunch of guys. Everybody believed and everybody played for each other.”

The Kings’ power play had been dormant and the season was about to slip from their grasp, but they produced three goals in 5 minutes 14 seconds in the third period, the last with 53 seconds left in regulation time and goaltender Felix Potvin on the bench in favor of an extra skater.

As the crowd watched in growing amazement, Scott Thomas, Jozef Stumpel and Bryan Smolinski scored in rapid succession against the suddenly reeling Red Wings to take the game to overtime.

“It was quite dramatic,” Murray said. “Before the third, I said, ‘I’m kind of sick of hearing [players-turned-broadcasters] Jim Fox and Daryl [Evans] talk about the Miracle on Manchester. Let’s make one of our own.”’

And so they did, sending the series back to Detroit Saturday and guaranteeing a sixth game Monday at Staples Center. A seventh game, if necessary, would be next Wednesday at Detroit.

“We play the way we did in the third, and even the first two periods, we can beat them,” Luc Robitaile said. “I believed we had a chance to come back all along because I didn’t think they had outplayed us. I believed if we kept working hard, we would make our own breaks.”

They broke the Red Wings’ confidence, certainly. “We weren’t ourselves the last two periods. We deserved what we got,” Osgood said. “They got momentum.

“We can’t afford to lose [Saturday’s] game. We’ve got to win at home.”

Said Detroit winger Martin Lapointe: “It’s a tough loss. A lot of guys are disappointed and they should be. The series is tied and we’re going back home and we’ve got to put this game behind us. I’m sure they have a lot more confidence than when they were down, 2-0.”

The Red Wings had converted three of five power plays to seemingly put the game out of reach, and a few boos wafted out of the stands. However, the power-play goal by Thomas, which ended the Kings’ 0-for-16 streak with the man advantage in this series and an 0-for-23 power-play drought stretching back to their four-game loss to Detroit in the first round a year ago, renewed the fans’ frenzy. Thomas, who played only because Steve Kelly had become ill with flu--and had played only 54 seconds in the first two periods--ignited the comeback at 13:53 when he banged in the rebound of a shot by Mathieu Schneider.

Lapointe’s interference penalty at 16:38 gave the Kings another power play, and they didn’t waste it. Stumpel was doing the right thing and simply trying to throw the puck on net when it glanced off Detroit defenseman Chris Chelios and past the right foot of Osgood, who tried to squeeze the puck against the post. After a review by the video goal judge, the goal was allowed to stand, at 17:33.

“We’ve heard of the Miracle on Manchester, but I won’t say this was a miracle,” King defenseman Mattias Norstrom said. “It was the hard work we put in, especially in the third period.”

Their diligence produced another goal, at 19:07. As the cheers reached a fever pitch and the Kings sent a sixth skater onto the ice to replace Potvin, Smolinski remarkably found himself unchecked when he potted a rebound from about 10 feet out.

The Kings were determined to keep pressing in overtime, and they were rewarded at 2:36. “I didn’t know it was in at first, because I was turning and the puck just came out,” Belanger said. “It was just a great feeling.”

Said Murray: “We got a Game 6 in L.A. and you’d like to have that be the game you can close the series out. That was our goal, to get a Game 6 in L.A. and take it from there.”

How far can they take it?

“It’s going to be hard tonight to come back to earth after this, but we have to,” Laperriere said. “They have so much experience and they’re going to be ready for us Saturday.”

(BEGIN TEXT OF INFOBOX / INFOGRAPHIC)

THE SERIES / BEST OF SEVEN

GAME 1

April 11

at Detroit: 5

KINGS: 3

GAME 2

April 14

at Detroit: 4

KINGS: 0

GAME 3

April 15

at KINGS: 2

Detroit: 1

GAME 4

April 18

at KINGS: 4

Detroit: 3

GAME 5

Saturday

at Detroit

Noon

GAME 6

Monday

at KINGS

7:30 p.m.

GAME 7

Wednesday

at Detroit

4 p.m.

SCOREBOARD

Carolina 3: New Jersey 2 (OT)

Washington 4: Pittsburgh 3 (OT)

Toronto 3: Ottawa 1

Colorado 5: Vancouver 1

COVERAGE: D10