Kings Get Some Surprising Help in 4-2 Victory

No Palffy. No Blake. No problem.

The Kings appeared to be hurting heading into Thursday night’s game against the Carolina Hurricanes at Staples Center. Blake, their top defenseman, was out because of a bruised shoulder. Winger Ziggy Palffy (25 goals, 60 points) was sidelined with flu.

Moreover the Kings were coming off a tie with the Chicago Blackhawks in which they had blown a two-goal lead.

All signs pointed to disaster. So what did these kings of inconsistency do? What was least expected of course, putting together a solid game to whip the Hurricanes, 4-2, in front of 13,884.

Who would have expected Kelly Buchberger, who had only three goals in 53 games, to come up with two?

Bryan Smolinski added two of his own to give some breathing room to goalie Jamie Storr, who continues to turn garbage time into nervous time by letting opposing teams back into the game.

He gave up a pair of goals in the third period to keep Carolina in the game.

The Kings did all their scoring in the second period in improving to 24-21-8-1. Carolina dropped to 24-21-6-2.

The victory was helped by the fact Hurricane starting goalie Arturs Irbe watched from the bench.

Carolina Coach Paul Maurice had been anxious to give Irbe a rest after 40 consecutive starts.

The alternative was Tyler Moss, a 25-year-old three-year veteran who hadn’t started a game in three months.

Nevertheless, Irbe need a night off and Maurice had figured Staples Center on Thursday night was a good spot.

Wrong.

It helped that the Hurricanes’ manpower advantage was lessened in the first period when Carolina left wing Martin Gelinas (18 goals, 39 points) was knocked out of the game when he collided with teammate Shane Willis. Gelinas had to be helped off the ice, having suffered a deep gash over his right eye, a chipped tooth and a concussion.

It also helped that the Hurricanes were playing their second game on the road in as many nights and had to go into overtime in Phoenix on Wednesday night to win.

Smolinski’s first goal, which opened the scoring, was short-handed, Smolinski’s second short-handed goal of the season and the Kings’ seventh.

Buchberger scored the next two goals, the first time he has had that many in a game since Jan. 31, 1993, when, as an Edmonton Oiler, he had a hat trick against the Buffalo Sabres.

Smolinski’s second goal, his 19th of the season, came with the Kings enjoying a two-man advantage.

The Kings, apparently in control, should have been able to coast through the third period. But, with this team, coasting is rarely an option.

The Hurricanes struck quickly in the final period. Rob Brind’Amour scored his 11th goal 1:39 into the period and Ron Francis added his 12th less than four minutes later.

“It can be tough coming into this building,” Smolinski said, “but we’ve got to make it tough. We haven’t done that that in the last nine games.”

Smolinski admitted there was some squirming on the King bench when the game became close.

“We were disgusted,” he said. “We’ve got to take pride in our game.”

This time, however, there was no late collapse, even with the big names missing.

“We know with Rob and Ziggy out,” Buchberger said, “it takes a whole team to replace them. They are world-class players.

“I think Rob Blake is the best defensive player in the whole league and one of the best leaders I’ve ever played with. The whole team has to play well to fill those shoes. And we still know those shoes will never be filled.”

That doesn’t bode well for the Kings’ future, considering Blake is on the trading block.

But for one night, at least, the Kings got by without him.