Storr Remains No. 1 in Goal

Backup goaltender Cristobal Huet, who picked up his first NHL victory Tuesday night at Pittsburgh in relief of Jamie Storr, will be back on the bench tonight when the Kings play the Columbus Blue Jackets.

As the Kings close out their five-game Rust Belt tour before returning home late tonight, Coach Andy Murray is giving Storr the same consideration he gave Felix Potvin before Potvin was sidelined last month because of a knee injury.

“Jamie’s got to be the guy,” Murray said. “It’s the same thing we had with Felix being our No. 1 guy. Jamie’s our No. 1 guy now. We always came back with Felix with the idea that we’re not wavering, and that’s what we’re feeling with Jamie too.”

Huet, in only his second NHL appearance, stopped 16 of 17 shots after relieving Storr in the first period of a 5-3 victory over the Penguins. Storr gave up two goals in the first 15 1/2 minutes and the Kings trailed, 2-0, when he was lifted.

Murray, though, said he is confident Storr will bounce back.

“If I had any doubts,” he said, “we’d play Huet.”

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The Kings are hopeful that Ian Laperriere will be able to play tonight after a bone scan on his bruised right arm revealed no structural damage.... Jerred Smithson was recalled from the Kings’ American Hockey League team at Manchester, N.H.

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TONIGHT

at Columbus, 4 PST

Fox Sports Net

Site -- Nationwide Arena.

Radio -- KSPN (710).

Records -- Kings 27-28-4-4, Blue Jackets 22-32-6-2.

Record vs. Blue Jackets -- 0-2.

Update -- The Kings can climb back to .500 for the first time in seven weeks by beating a last-place team that has lost its last six games and just completed a 0-5 trip in which it was outscored, 25-4, and was shut out three times.