Optimism Still Buzzword When It Comes to Playoffs

Thanks to victories in three of their first four games since the NHL All-Star break, the Kings are confident about reaching the playoffs despite sitting in 10th place in the Western Conference.

“There’s not a man on this team that doesn’t believe that we can get it done,” Captain Mattias Norstrom said. “We know that it’s going to be tough, but we know that it can be done.”

With 26 games remaining in the regular season, including tonight’s game against Calgary at Staples Center, the Kings trail the eighth-seeded Mighty Ducks by nine points.

Los Angeles is also starting to get some injured players back. Hard-working forward Ian Laperriere returned to the lineup Tuesday and scored a goal in the Kings’ 3-2 victory at Nashville. Forwards Jared Aulin, Eric Belanger and defenseman Lubomir Visnovski are close to returning from injuries.

“It’s always tough to get into the playoffs, no matter how you get there,” Norstrom said. “We found that out the last couple of seasons when we’ve made them. There’s never an easy way. But we’re very capable and we believe it, and that’s the most important thing.”

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The Kings recalled goaltender Travis Scott from Manchester of the American Hockey League Wednesday and sent goalie Cristobal Huet to the Monarchs. But since Huet did not play in a game for the Kings, it’s evident that Coach Andy Murray plans to ride starter Jamie Storr for the rest of the season.

But the Kings’ schedule is not easy after they complete their three-game homestand.

Highlighted by two trips to the East Coast, the Kings will play 12 of their final 23 games on the road. They will also play all three of their remaining back-to-back sets away from Staples Center.

“Winning every other game will not do it,” Murray said of the Kings’ effort to make up ground. “We came back disappointed in not getting points in Dallas [over the Kings’ recent 1-1 trip].”

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Murray on the play of winger Ziggy Palffy, who leads the Kings with 21 goals and 52 points: “Ziggy has had a pretty darn consistent year,” he said. “Look at the fact that he’s a target for everybody we play, especially with the people we’ve had out. He’s hung in there and battled very hard. He’s had world-class goals in two of our last three games.”

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TONIGHT

vs. Calgary, 7:30

Fox Sports Net 2

Site -- Staples Center.

Radio -- KSPN (710).

Records -- Kings 23-25-4-4, Flames 18-27-8-4.

Record vs. Flames -- 0-0-0-1.

Update -- Don’t expect injured forwards Jason Allison or Adam Deadmarsh to return any time soon for the Kings because both players still are not skating. Brad Norton, who suffered a concussion last week, has been feeling better and could be back before the completion of the homestand. The Flames defeated the Kings, 2-1, in overtime last month at Calgary.

Tickets -- (888) 546-4752.