His Play Improved, Boucher Looks to Score

Philippe Boucher, once lightly regarded by the Kings but now a stabilizing force along the blue line, is enjoying another solid season. The 6-foot-3, 221-pound defenseman has earned praise from Coach Andy Murray and respect from the opposing forwards he has left crunched along the boards.

“I think it’s a sense of knowing where he wanted to be and how he planned to get there and how he planned to stay there,” Murray said of Boucher’s emergence since his recall from the minors late last season. “He needed to alter his game. He’s a big guy who had to show that he was going to compete physically.”

Only one thing is missing.

Though he has fired a team-high 83 shots on goal, 29 more than any of his teammates, Boucher has not scored.

“I like to shoot from anywhere,” said Boucher, who has his coach’s blessing to keep firing. “When the puck comes around the wall, instead of sending it back, I’ll just try to put it on net. Percentage-wise, one of those should go in.”

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Nelson Emerson, sidelined for all but five games this season after suffering a concussion in a Sept. 29 exhibition game, was activated from the injured list.... Jaroslav Modry’s assist on Bryan Smolinski’s goal in Thursday night’s 1-1 tie with the St. Louis Blues was his ninth in seven games and pushed his team-leading total to 14.

General Manager Dave Taylor, assistant coaches Dave Tippett and Mark Hardy, and former Kings-turned-broadcasters Jim Fox and Daryl Evans will suit up for the NHL alumni team that will play the reunited 1980 U.S. Olympic team in a Feb. 1 exhibition game.

TONIGHT

at St. Louis, 5

Fox Sports Net

Site--Savvis Center.

Radio--KSPN (1110).

Records--Kings 8-13-4-2, Blues 13-9-5-1.

Record vs. Blues--1-0-1.

Update--The Kings, winless in their last 10 home games against the Blues, have fared better at St. Louis, going 3-1-1 under Murray, including a wild 6-5 victory Oct. 11.