Murray Looks Ahead

King Coach Andy Murray came up with a positive spin on Bryan Smolinski’s goal-scoring drought, which at 18 games is the longest of his career.

“He’s been a fairly consistent 20-goal scorer in his career,” Murray said of his second-line center, who averaged more than 22 goals in his first eight NHL seasons. “He’s got 12 now, so I’m looking forward to the next 16 games because, based on his past, he should score eight more goals.

“What he’s done is, he’s just put them off until the end of the season. That’s the way I’d like to look at it, and that’s the way I want him to look at it because it doesn’t help him to look back. He’s got to look ahead.”

Smolinski last scored a goal Jan. 17 against the Buffalo Sabres. Steve Heinze, who last scored Jan. 15, has gone 19 games without a goal.

Murray, recovering from post-concussion syndrome and other injuries suffered in a Feb. 15 auto accident, has been ordered off his skates and out of his car by team physician Michael Mellman. The coach watched Wednesday’s practice from a perch above the west end of the Kings’ training rink in El Segundo.

“He doesn’t want me out there because of the head [injury],” Murray said. “When you have a concussion, if you have another blow to the head--from getting hit, or a puck--it could be fatal. That’s what they tell me.”

Murray said Mellman also told him he should not be driving.

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TONIGHT

vs. St. Louis, 7:30, Fox Sports West/ESPN2

Site--Staples Center.

Radio--KSPN (1110).

Records--Kings 31-22-9-4, Blues 32-22-8-3.

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

Update--Though they were held without a point in two of the games, the Kings’ top scorers--Jason Allison, Adam Deadmarsh and Ziggy Palffy--have combined for 37 points, nearly one-fourth of their season total, in eight games since the Olympic break.