No Need for a Replay

Jason Allison’s homecoming Thursday night was obviously a bitter disappointment for the all-star center, who was held without a shot on goal in a 5-0 loss to the Boston Bruins, but Coach Andy Murray suspects he’ll get over it in a hurry.

“It’s one hockey game out of 82,” the coach said. “It’s kind of like with my kids. They play a game and five minutes after a game they’ve lost, they’re wanting to get hot dogs and a Coke and move on with their lives.

“That will be the same with Jason. He’ll pack this game away and be ready to play [today against the San Jose Sharks]. That’s the nature of the profession.”

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Adam Mair today serves the last game of his 10-game suspension for leaving the bench to join a brawl Dec. 20 against the Ottawa Senators. After that, the rookie winger’s future is uncertain.

“The coaching staff really liked what Adam brought to the table in the three or four games that he played with us,” General Manager Dave Taylor said. “He brought some energy, played physical, went hard in the corners, went hard to the net.

“The only question we’ll have is whether it would better to get his game legs with a couple of games in Manchester [with the Kings’ American Hockey League team], or whether he’s better off coming right back in the lineup with us.”

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TODAY

at San Jose, 3 p.m.

Site--San Jose Arena.

Radio--KSPN (1110).

Records--Kings 18-17-7-2, Sharks 22-12-6-3.

Record vs. Sharks--0-1.

Update--Wrapping up an unusual five-game coast-to-coast trip that started last Saturday at Uniondale, N.Y., the Kings play the Pacific Division leaders in the first of three visits to San Jose. Allison, Steve Heinze and Mikko Eloranta scored goals and Jamie Storr stopped 22 shots for the Kings in a 3-1 victory over the Sharks on Nov. 24 at Staples Center.

Jerry Crowe