A Force of Two

You’ve just scored for the first time in 16 months, netting two improbable goals in arguably the Kings’ most important victory of the season.

Ken Belanger, where’s the joy?

“How excited do you get?” asked the low-key Belanger, whose first goals since Nov. 11, 2000, fueled a 3-2 victory over the San Jose Sharks on Monday night but brought not even the tiniest of smiles to his face. “Do you get overly excited about two goals? I’m obviously excited, but....”

But what?

Other than goaltenders Felix Potvin and Jamie Storr, Belanger was the least likely King to score a goal in a crucial game.

Or any game, for that matter.

It had been 56 games since Belanger last scored a goal.

And his last multi-goal game? In 228 previous NHL games, the 6-foot-4, 231-pound enforcer had never enjoyed even a multi-point effort.

That all changed when Belanger, after scoring a first-period goal from the right faceoff circle, took a drop pass from Adam Deadmarsh in the third and ripped a blast from the left point that eluded goaltender Evgeni Nabokov.

Later, after taking stitches to close a cut above his right eye, the result of a high-sticking penalty against Shark captain Owen Nolan that set up Deadmarsh’s game-winning power-play goal, Belanger was nonplussed.

“It’s been a tough year,” he explained Tuesday. “That’s why, emotionally, I’m not going to show too much excitement over my goals.

“I try to keep the same level, don’t get too high or too low. Some nights you get the opportunity, but who knows, next time might be different. So, if you go in expecting it next time and you don’t get it, do you get down?”

The 27-year-old Belanger, no relation to injured teammate Eric Belanger, has experienced his share of down time this season.

Signed by the Kings as a free agent last summer after the Boston Bruins failed to make him a qualifying offer, he was eager to join his new team after watching the Kings’ playoff run on television last spring.

“My agent talked to a couple teams,” he said, “but as soon as L.A. came into the picture I had my mind made up because I knew they were a contending team. I wanted to go somewhere where we felt we had a chance to win.”

After suffering an ankle injury in training camp, however, Belanger rarely made his presence felt as the Kings struggled through the first half of the season.

“I wouldn’t say we were down on him,” Coach Andy Murray said, “but we wanted him to play with a little bit more authority.”

Shortly after Murray shared his feelings with him, Belanger got into a fight with Lance Ward of the Florida Panthers on Jan. 2 at Staples Center and suffered a broken left thumb, an injury that sidelined him for two months.

He returned to the lineup March 2 and, according to Murray, enjoyed his best game of the season Saturday in a 4-3 victory over the Pittsburgh Penguins.

Best until Monday, that is.

“We like Ken because he brings that physical element to our team,” said General Manager Dave Taylor, who turned to Belanger last summer after former King tough guy Stu Grimson spurned the team’s offer of a one-year contract and signed a two-year deal with the Nashville Predators. “He’s big and strong, but he also can skate pretty well and he’s got a tremendous shot.

“He’s had some injuries and hasn’t played as much as he or we would like, but it’s certainly nice to see him get a couple of goals. Those guys that battle for you every night, it’s nice to see them get rewarded on the scoreboard.”