McAlpine, Corvo Bolster Defense

Defensemen Aaron Miller and Lubomir Visnovsky are sidelined because of injuries, but the Kings have not had much of a drop-off at the blue line, thanks to the recent play of Chris McAlpine and Joe Corvo.

McAlpine, who signed with the Kings as a free agent last summer, doesn’t provide much offense but has been steady on the defensive end in the 16 games he has played.

“He’s played very well in the absence of the other guys,” Coach Andy Murray said of McAlpine, who played in 268 NHL games with New Jersey, St. Louis, Tampa Bay, Atlanta and Chicago before joining the Kings. “We knew that Chris had played in the league and had that experience. We knew what he was capable of.”

That wasn’t the case with Corvo, a rookie who played in his first two NHL games against Pittsburgh and Phoenix over the weekend. Corvo played 26 games for Manchester and was the top scoring defenseman in the American Hockey League before being recalled Friday.

“Based on his training camp ... we weren’t quite sure how he would do,” Murray said about Corvo, drafted 83rd overall by the Kings in 1997. “He’s played very well in his first two games, but now it has to be an every-night challenge for him.

“It looks like he believes in himself a lot more on the ice right now. With Joe, it’s all about his belief system.”

Visnovsky, out since late November because of a back injury, is close to returning, so Murray will have decide which defenseman to sit down if Visnovsky plays tonight against St. Louis.

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Center Jason Allison, who returned to the lineup last week, a month earlier than expected, after a knee injury, has been an inspiration to his teammates, according to Murray.

“He’s been playing courageously,” Murray said. “He’s still not able to do all of the things that he was able to do before; there’s no question about that. But he’s still averaging about two points a game.”

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TONIGHT

vs. St. Louis, 7:30, Fox Sports Net

Site -- Staples Center.

Radio -- KSPN (1110).

Records -- Kings 13-10-4-3, Blues 16-8-4-2.

Record vs. Blues -- 0-0-0-1.

Update -- St. Louis outshot the Kings, 37-12, in a 3-2 overtime victory at Savvis Center last month.

Tickets -- (888) 546-4752.