Kings Eke Out Crucial Victory

Center Bryan Smolinski had the puck on his stick, and maybe the Kings’ playoff hopes too, Saturday at Staples Center.

One shift into overtime against the San Jose Sharks and Smolinski had deked defenseman Mike Rathje to the ice. A sellout crowd of 18,118 sensed something good finally was unfolding as Smolinski broke into the open against Shark goaltender Evgeni Nabokov.

A quick flick and the puck was in the back of the net 40 seconds into overtime. The Kings took a hard-earned 1-0 victory from the Sharks and, perhaps just as important, their confidence continued to soar.

The Kings are 8-1-2 in their last 11 games, but still not in a Stanley Cup playoff spot.

“This was as big a victory as we’ve had all year,” winger Luc Robitaille said. “We know we can’t have even one little lapse. We can’t afford any breakdowns. We have to play like it’s our last game of the season every night.”

The victory enabled the Kings to draw ever closer to the Phoenix Coyotes in the fight for the eighth and final playoff spot in the Western Conference.

One point for reaching overtime was fine but, thanks to Smolinski’s goal, the Kings gobbled up the second point and pulled within two points of the Coyotes. The Kings host the Coyotes on Monday.

After the Kings knocked heads with the Sharks for 60 minutes of scoreless hockey, Coach Andy Murray called them to the bench during the short intermission before the five-minute overtime period. Murray didn’t have time for long speeches.

“We just said, ‘If we get an opportunity to go for it, then go for it,’ ” he said.

Smolinski’s dash for the game-winner didn’t look as if it would amount to much as the play developed in the King zone. Defenseman Aaron Miller moved the puck ahead to a hard-charging Glen Murray on right wing. Murray slipped a centering pass to a trailing Smolinski as defenseman Scott Hannan cracked Murray into the boards.

With the teams skating four-on-four, Smolinski suddenly had only Rathje to beat and then he was in the clear against Nabokov, who had turned away all 19 shots he had faced.

“I caught Rathje flat-footed,” Smolinski said. “A lot of things are going through your mind against a guy like Nabokov. But I saw the far side and beat him low to the stick side.”

The Kings poured over the boards in celebration, mobbing Smolinski, who also scored a goal in a 4-1 victory Wednesday over the Sharks at San Jose.

Wednesday’s game only looked like a runaway. The Kings were outshot, 40-20, relying too heavily on goalie Felix Potvin and their standout penalty killing to win. They were outworked and out-hustled along the boards for long stretches.

Saturday’s game was won on Smolinski’s flash of brilliance with the puck, to be sure. But it also was won in the trenches. This time, the Kings were not second best.

San Jose had only a handful of quality chances against Potvin, who made 18 saves for his second shutout since the Kings acquired him Feb. 15 from the Vancouver Canucks. The Sharks did not benefit significantly from the debut of winger Teemu Selanne, who had only one shot on net in his first game since he was traded March 5 from the Mighty Ducks.

“It was just like a playoff game,” Potvin said.

Kelly Buchberger and Ian Laperriere of the Kings could be seen trading barbs with San Jose’s Tony Granato during the pregame warmup, which was just one indication of the game’s importance.

The hitting was intense from the start and some of it was even legal.

Midway through the final period, the Kings finally were able to sustain pressure. Robitaille and Ziggy Palffy each had point-blank cracks at Nabokov, but were turned away by the rookie-of-the-year favorite. Palffy was held without a goal for the eighth consecutive game.

“We had tons of chances in the third,” Robitaille said. “I had two or three chances right in the crease. I kind of had a feeling [the Kings would pull it out], you know. But you never know what’s going to happen in overtime.”

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WEST RACE

If the playoffs started today, the Kings would be left watching:

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Team Points 1. Colorado 103* 2. Detroit 97* 3. Dallas 86* 4. St. Louis 94 5. San Jose 83 6. Vancouver 83 7. Edmonton 83 8. Phoenix 79 9. Kings 77

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*--Division leaders