Goalie Dilemma Solved With Care

Andy Murray listened to his heart.

This was the dilemma facing the King coach: For Friday night’s game against the New York Rangers, should he go with No. 1 goaltender Felix Potvin, whose 1-6 record against the Rangers was his worst against any opponent? Or should he call on backup Jamie Storr, whose blanking of the Rangers in January was the Kings’ first shutout in nearly 60 games at Madison Square Garden?

Murray seemed to be leaning toward Storr, whom he wants to get into more games this season, but then he learned that Potvin’s parents, Pierre and Bruna, had made the drive from Montreal to watch their son play.

Murray made the sentimental choice in going with Potvin, who benefited from an offensive outburst by the Kings in a 6-2 victory.

“You can say that kind of stuff doesn’t matter,” the coach said, “but if you want to have a relationship with your players, you’d better try to consider it when you can.”

Murray added, “Before people care how much you know, they want to know how much you care.”

Storr, he said, will play today against the Columbus Blue Jackets.

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Ziggy Palffy, who has sat out four of the last five games because of a strained left groin, did not practice Saturday and is listed as day to day. Jason Allison, who suffered a strained right wrist in Friday’s game, also sat out, but he is expected to play today.

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TODAY

at Columbus, 2 p.m.

Fox Sports Net

Site -- Nationwide Arena.

Radio -- KAVL (610), KIIS (1220).

Records -- Kings 4-1-2, Blue Jackets 2-4-1.

Record vs. Blue Jackets (2001-02) -- 3-1.

Update -- The Kings have scored four power-play goals in the first two games of their five-game trip after scoring none in their previous three games. The Blue Jackets squandered a 3-1 third-period lead Friday night in a 5-4 loss to the San Jose Sharks.