Tie Suits the Kings This Time

The Colorado Avalanche stopped by for a game in Staples Center, which meant there was one certainty: Rob Blake would be booed every time the puck was on the end of his stick.

Other than that, Saturday’s game was anything but predictable for the Kings, who had a rare seven-minute power play and an enforcer who briefly became a hero by actually avoiding a fight.

But Joe Sakic turned in his 13th career hat trick and the end result was neither plus nor minus for the Kings, who tied the Avalanche, 3-3, before an up-and-down sellout crowd of 18,118 at Staples Center.

Sakic had two power-play goals in the first period and added the game-tying goal at 7:11 of the third period, and the Avalanche avoided an empty jaunt through Southern California after losing Friday to the Mighty Ducks, 1-0.

For the Kings, this tie was more palatable than Thursday’s effort against the Phoenix Coyotes, which began with a 3-0 King lead and ended in a 4-4 final score.

“You look at this and you look at the last tie, and there was no comparison,” King Coach Andy Murray said.

Blake, traded from the Kings to the Avalanche in February 2001, had two assists and continued to linger among the league’s top-scoring defensemen, sending a subtle reminder to King fans of why he has received the most All-Star votes among Western Conference defensemen.

Asked whether it was an emotional experience to face his old team, Blake said, “Not for me it’s not. I’m done with L.A.”

The Kings could argue they were without their highest-scoring defenseman -- Lubomir Visnovsky sat out after getting hit in the eye with a stick Thursday against the Phoenix Coyotes -- but the Avalanche, as it has most of the season, played without game-breakers Peter Forsberg (groin-abdomen) and Paul Kariya (wrist).

The Kings outshot the Avalanche, 37-19, but there were no excuses for either team. Simply a well-played tie game.

“We probably doubled the scoring chances on them, but like a solid veteran team, they found a way to get a point,” Murray said.

King enforcer Kip Brennan did his job, getting into two fights with Avalanche counterpart Jim Cummins and setting the tone for a physical night. But the biggest part Brennan played was a non-fight at 15:40 of the second period.

Brennan, playing for the first time since sustaining a deep leg bruise Nov. 30, stepped away after being challenged for a third time by Cummins, who was hit with a five-minute major for fighting and an additional two-minute minor for instigating.

The Kings, rewarded with a seven-minute power play, converted at 18:20 for a 3-2 lead. Martin Straka took a pass from Mattias Norstrom near the Colorado blue line, skated in without any pressure from the Avalanche and beat Philippe Sauve with a backhand.

“I was just trying to benefit the team,” said Brennan, who got the best of Cummins in their fights.

The King lead lasted until Sakic took a feed in the slot from Milan Hejduk and beat Cristobal Huet with a wrist shot that deflected off the stick of King defenseman Maxim Kuznetsov.

Huet began the second period in place of Roman Cechmanek, who aggravated a left hip injury that had kept him out of three games.

Cechmanek had four saves in six shots, although both goals came during a Colorado power play that stemmed from Luc Robitaille’s double minor for interference and slashing.

The Avalanche trailed, 1-0, before Sakic knocked in Hejduk’s pass at the right side of the crease at 11:35 and converted a solid set-up pass from Blake at 13:16.

The Kings tied the score at 14:31 of the period, Joe Corvo blasting a shot from the top of the right circle past Sauve.

The Kings had the best chance in overtime when Teemu Selanne was called for high-sticking with 56 seconds left. But they didn’t register a shot on the power play.