This Tie Fits the Kings

The teams were the same, the Kings’ shot dominance was the same and the result was the same Monday as it was two weeks ago against the Minnesota Wild.

One slight difference was a change of venue, but each team again came away with a point in a 2-2 tie before an announced sellout of 18,118 at Staples Center.

Perhaps the only difference was Luc Robitaille, who wasn’t around for the Jan. 14 game against the Wild because he was a healthy scratch.

Robitaille sat out one more game after that but continued his scoring streak since his return with the tying goal Monday that helped the Kings remain one point behind the eighth-place Dallas Stars for the final playoff spot in the Western Conference.

Few of the Kings could be singled out after a quiet first period, but Robitaille and his teammates came alive in the second and third on the way to outshooting the Wild, 36-23.

“He was great tonight in the last 40 minutes,” King Coach Andy Murray said. “He scored a big goal and might have led us in hits as well, which normally isn’t part of his repertoire. The fans were on their feet for him and he deserved it.”

Robitaille, who turns 38 next month, scored his third goal in as many games and extended his point-scoring streak to five games. He has 12 goals, one more than he had last season with the Detroit Red Wings.

Down 2-1, Robitaille scored on a one-timer from the slot at 17:56 of the second period, a power-play goal set up by Derek Armstrong’s feed from the left corner.

“With these guys, they really find me,” Robitaille said, referring to Armstrong and Trent Klatt.

“They’re so good in the corners. They give me time to find space. Army and Klatt are some of the best players in the corners I’ve ever played with.”

Few of the Kings played well as the Wild took a 2-0 lead on power-play goals.

From then on, however, the game resembled the previous 2-2 tie, when the Kings left St. Paul with a 46-23 shot advantage.

And still, the Kings wanted more on Monday.

“We wanted to win,” forward Ian Laperriere said.

“We need those two points. We had a chance to win it to the end.”

Indeed, second-year forward Alexander Frolov was foiled twice in overtime by Wild All-Star goaltender Dwayne Roloson.

But the Kings can only blame themselves after falling into a 2-0 hole.

The Wild recently endured a four-for-58 skid on the power play, but converted its first two chances against the Kings.

At 9:36 of the first, Andrew Brunette sent a pass from behind the net to Richard Park for a one-timer at the right circle that whipped over Roman Cechmanek’s shoulder for a 1-0 lead.

And at 4:44 of the second period, Brunette skated in from the right corner, stick-handled through two Kings and backhanded a pass to Jim Dowd at the crease for a tap-in and two-goal lead.

“We know we can’t give them a two-goal lead,” Laperriere said.

“Our penalty kill has to be better.”