Boucher Is Just Happy to Be Back in Uniform

It had been so long since he scored his last NHL goal, defenseman Philippe Boucher nearly forgot how to celebrate.

“Probably raise your arms or something, right?” he said.

Right. His goal, the Kings’ second in their 2-0 victory Thursday over the Calgary Flames, was his first since March 15, 1999. Since then, he had played only 12 NHL games because of a foot injury that simply wouldn’t heal.

His perseverance paid off. Boucher, the Kings’ last souvenir of the February 1995 Grant Fuhr-Alex Zhitnik trade, on Thursday played only his second NHL game in two seasons and acquitted himself well in a game the weary Kings needed to boost their morale.

“It’s nice to put the King jersey on,” said Boucher, whose shot from the point went between Mike Vernon’s legs at 9:48 of the second period during a King power play. “It feels good to go out there and contribute. That’s what I was thinking about when I was in the minors. It’s just a great feeling to be around the guys.”

Although Boucher acknowledged having gone through some tough times, he said he never gave up on getting back to the NHL and regaining a job on the Kings.

‘I don’t even want to look back at it,” he said. “Eric Belanger asked me this week, but I just want to look ahead. It’s all behind me now. I just want to contribute whatever I can.”

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The Kings played without a captain and instead designated Kelly Buchberger, Mattias Norstrom and Luc Robitaille alternate captains.