Schedule Should Be Beneficial

Had the Kings drawn up their own schedule for a late playoff drive, they couldn’t have improved on what the NHL gave them.

They don’t have to leave California until April 3, when they play at Phoenix, and will get on a plane only twice in the next four weeks, for games at San Jose March 14 and March 27.

But with a listless performance in their 4-0 loss to the Mighty Ducks on Sunday at the Arrowhead Pond, they dropped the silver platter on which their schedule was handed them.

“We’ve got things in our favor,” said center Bryan Smolinski, who injured his ribs late in the game but apparently suffered only a bruise. “We need help, but we also have to take advantage of the schedule. These are points we could have used. It just wasn’t meant to be.”

They return to Staples Center for three consecutive games and eight of the next nine, a stretch that will determine if they close the five-point gap between them and the last Western Conference playoff berth. But as Coach Andy Murray pointed out, the move to generic arenas with standardized ice surfaces has nearly negated home-ice advantage in the NHL.

The Kings can attest to that: they were 2-5-1 on their last long home stand, in late January and early February, and are 13-11-5-1 at home. Their 32 points at home ranks 21st among 30 teams.

Oh, and those two short trips to San Jose? They were 0-3 at San Jose Arena last season.

“I would not say our schedule is easy, because there’s so much parity,” Murray said. “Certainly, the travel should be a factor in our favor and we have to take advantage of that.”

It will be an advantage only if they make it one. “I don’t think the effort [Sunday] was up to where it should be,” forward Adam Deadmarsh said. “This was a big two points but it’s over, and we’ve got to look ahead and get on another roll. We have to realize how important these games are.”

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Center Jozef Stumpel left the game in the second period because of bruised ribs on his left side. X-rays were negative, but he was walking gingerly and will be evaluated again today. . . . Although defenseman Aki Berg was scratched for the sixth consecutive game and eighth in nine, Murray said Berg remains in the picture. “It’s something we talk about before every game,” Murray said. “We [coaches] bring his name up and discuss whether he would make us a better team. We’ve decided these are the players that have to get the job done.”