Palffy’s Focus on Defense Is a Big Plus

Nobody voted for Ziggy Palffy for the World team in the NHL All-Star game because he’s plus-17.

He has 24 goals and 56 points. That’s why he’s an all-star.

The plus-17 is his badge of honor.

“You’re always going to have people who can score two or three goals,” he said. “Everything starts with a good defense.”

It’s the sort of outlook the Kings take into tonight’s game at Philadelphia. It’s what they took out of Saturday’s game at Carolina.

“It’s a matter of how you are playing defense,” Palffy said, as though repeating a litany. “You always have chances to score goals.”

He seems to, anyway.

In 39 games, Palffy is only three goals and seven assists from his 1999-2000 total, accumulated in 64 games. He’s playing the best hockey of his life and enjoys the all-star accolades, though he isn’t all that comfortable with them.

“Everybody wants to go there,” he said. “But this is not just one game. This is about a whole team.

“This is about winning and getting into the playoffs.”

It’s his mission, and his appetite was whetted last season when he played in the postseason for the first time, scoring twice against Detroit in the Red Wings’ four-game sweep.

All-Star mention is an individual thing, and Palffy is not as comfortable with being singled out, though opposition defenses are certainly doing that.

It’s why he has been bearing down on defense. The plus-17 is the best mark among the Kings.

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The Kings have won three in a row and five of their last six games but are gaining virtually no ground on eighth-place Edmonton in the Western Conference playoff race.

They remain a point behind the Oilers going into tonight’s game against the Flyers.

“I think it’s going to be a season in which we have to look toward the end,” said Coach Andy Murray, referring to the difficulty in charting day-by-day progress.

Added Palffy: “This conference is so tough right now. We have so many teams that are 5-6 points ahead of us.”

And staying that way by winning.

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The Kings skated at the Spectrum on Sunday, with only defenseman Mathieu Schneider missing. He has back spasms.

He also has 10 stitches in his nose, where he was hit by the stick of teammate Bob Corkum in Saturday’s 6-3 win at Carolina.

TONIGHT

at Philadelphia, 4 PST

Fox Sports Net/ESPN2

* Site--First Union Arena.

* Radio--KSPN (1110).

* Records--Kings 22-17-7-1, Flyers 22-15-9-1.

* Record vs. Flyers (1999-2000)--1-1.

* Update--Philadelphia ended a two-game losing streak with a 5-3 win over Florida on Saturday. The tide in that game was turned when Keith Primeau scored two power-play goals, the Flyers’ first goals with a man advantage since Dec. 21. Philadelphia is still smarting from the loss of winger John LeClair. The Flyers learned Saturday he would be lost for two months because of an infection in his surgically repaired back. LeClair has played in only eight games and has nine points.