Up Against It, Veterans Ready for Playoff Push

The workout was designed to provide ice time for Ziggy Palffy and Glen Murray after lengthy stays on injured reserve, and for Nelson Emerson, who had missed a couple of games because of a concussion.

Jaroslav Modry and Marko Tuomainen, scratched from the lineup lately, were to get work they don’t get in games.

Others were given the day off, except for time in the gym.

So why were Kelly Buchberger and Ian Laperriere in skates Tuesday morning?

“A little skate’s not going to hurt,” said Buchberger, who was example-establishing as much as anything else.

It’s time for that example.

“It’s the point of the season when experienced players and older players have to push themselves,” he said. “For the team to make a run for it, you have to push. Guys have to look at guys like Rob Blake, Bob Corkum, Nelson Emerson on the ice and see how hard they are working and work as hard as they do.”

And to look at Buchberger and Laperriere.

“They just feel like they have to skate,” Coach Andy Murray said. “That’s the way they play the game. Those two guys work hard.”

It’s an attempt to find an accelerator in the Western Conference. The Kings won, 5-0, on Saturday but remain in ninth place, three points below the playoff ladder.

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Dave Taylor, the Kings’ senior vice president and general manager, spent time with scouts in Russia over the New Year’s holiday, and says that he was able to watch several King draftees play, among them first-round choice Alexander Frolov, who toils with the Moscow Wings.

“He played well,” said Taylor, who saw Frolov, an 18-year-old left winger, in an exhibition. “He’s playing in the first division, not the elite division, which is good because he gets more playing time that way. He’s got good size [6 feet 2 1/2, 200 pounds] but needs to add some leg strength.”

Taylor also took a look at Andrei Shefer, who is back in Cherepovets in Russia after a season at Halifax of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League; and Evgeni Federov, who plays at Molot in the Russian Elite league.

“We’re hoping to get these guys here next summer,” Taylor said of the Kings’ off-season workout program in El Segundo.