Murray Looks to Top Players

Center Eric Belanger is out of the lineup because of a shoulder injury. Defenseman Aaron Miller is out because of a sprained left wrist. Winger Scott Thomas is out because of a concussion.

Suddenly, in their greatest time of need, the Kings are bruised and battered. Sitting in ninth place in the Western Conference standings, one spot shy of a playoff berth, the Kings look vulnerable for the first time in more than a month.

“We need to get our top guys going earlier in the games,” Coach Andy Murray said. “We need some of our better guys to be better. They scored some goals [Saturday against the Ducks], but we need them to be better.”

Ziggy Palffy was one player who seemed invisible in the opening period but rallied with two power-play goals that helped lead the Kings to a brief, 3-2 lead early in the third period of a 3-3 tie with the Ducks.

The goals were Palffy’s first with the man-advantage since Dec. 14, ending a 42-game drought. In addition, it was his first multi-goal game since Feb. 24 against the expansion Columbus Blue Jackets. He ended an eight-game goal drought with one March 19 against the Phoenix Coyotes.

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The Kings recalled defenseman Rich Brennan from Lowell of the American Hockey League, but he came down with a case of food poisoning before boarding his flight to LAX and spent six hours in an emergency room Friday.

Brennan finally made it to Southern California on Sunday and could be in the lineup tonight against the San Jose Sharks.

If Brennan plays, defenseman Jere Karalahti could be out of the lineup. Karalahti got caught up ice on Duck winger German Titov’s goal in the second period and was out of position on Oleg Tverdovsky’s tying score in the third.

Murray wasn’t immediately certain how he might juggle his lineup for tonight’s game.

vs. San Jose, 7:30, Fox Sports Net

* Site--Staples Center.

* Radio--KSPN (1110).

* Records--Kings 34-28-11-1, Sharks 35-26-11-2.

* Record vs. Sharks--2-1.

* Update--Felix Potvin is expected to start in goal tonight for the Kings and perhaps again Tuesday for the rematch in San Jose. Once thought to be a Stanley Cup championship dark horse, the Sharks’ stranglehold on a playoff berth is slipping fast. They have but one victory in their last 13 games and have lost five consecutive. Their power play is scoreless in 29 consecutive chances. Coach Darryl Sutter split up wingers Owen Nolan and Teemu Selanne, but the Sharks still lost, 2-1, Thursday to the Ottawa Senators. Nolan played with Alexander Korolyuk and Patrick Marleau against the Senators. Selanne played with Stephane Matteau and Marco Sturm. Selanne has one assist and a plus/minus rating of minus four in four games since he was traded March 5 from the Ducks to the Sharks. Evgeni Nabokov is expected to start in goal tonight and Tuesday for the Sharks.

* Tickets--(888) 546-4752.