Looking to Avoid Road to Ruin

The Kings are headed north, at least geographically, which is perhaps a step in the right direction if they want to stop their free fall in the Western Conference standings.

The Kings have lost four consecutive games for the first time this season, all at Staples Center, where they are 15-14-9-1.

The search for silver linings is long, almost futile. Luck has even deserted the Kings, with deflections accounting for both of the Edmonton Oilers’ goals Monday in a 2-1 loss.

With seven games left, the 10th-place Kings trail the Oilers by three points for the West’s eighth and final playoff spot. The four-game trip that starts tonight against the Vancouver Canucks doesn’t get easier, with the Oilers, Calgary Flames and Colorado Avalanche also on the schedule.

“Very tough games,” defenseman Lubomir Visnovsky said. “It’s a very tough time for the Kings.”

The Kings could point to their 2-0-2 road record against these teams, but they don’t. They could wonder when the bounces will start to go their way, but they won’t.

“I don’t look at being lucky or unlucky,” Coach Andy Murray said. “I think you get what you earn. I don’t like the luck part of it or saying we’re snake-bitten. We have to make more plays offensively and defensively. If we do that, better things will happen for us.”

It’s hard to argue with the numbers.

The Kings have deviated badly from Murray’s mantra of holding the opposition to fewer than two goals. In the last four games, they surrendered 16 goals. And they haven’t scored more than three goals against a team with a winning record since tying the Flames, 4-4, on Feb. 3.

Forwards Anson Carter and Martin Straka continue to struggle. Carter has one assist in eight games since being acquired from the Washington Capitals. Straka has one assist in eight games since coming back from surgery on both knees.

“Some of the guys that have been known as guys that can score need to score,” Murray said.

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Goaltender Roman Cechmanek faced a firing line of shots in a pre-flight workout at the Kings’ training center in El Segundo. Cechmanek was peppered by non-lineup players for half an hour before the team left for Vancouver.

Cechmanek has been benched for two games, but he probably will start at least once on the trip. Murray did not rule out starting him tonight.

“We have seven games left in a short period of time here, and we like to think we have two goalies we can use,” Murray said.

Cechmanek has not played since being replaced before the third period Thursday in a 5-3 loss to the San Jose Sharks. Cechmanek gave up four goals in 15 shots, including goals on the first two shots he faced.

Murray said Cristobal Huet was average in stopping 21 of 23 shots against the Oilers.

“They got two goals, and both were strange goals,” Murray said. “Would you say that he made major mistakes on them? No. Would you like to have seen the puck hit him instead of go through his legs? Yes.”

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TONIGHT

Kings vs. Vancouver,

7, Fox Sports Net 2

Site -- General Motors Place.

Radio -- KSPN (710).

Records -- Kings 28-24-16-7, Canucks 37-24-10-5.

Record vs. Canucks -- 0-2-1-0.

Update -- The Canucks have struggled since Todd Bertuzzi’s season-ending suspension, falling to fifth in the West after leading the pack most of the season. But the Canucks are getting healthier -- defenseman Ed Jovanovski is back after sitting out 25 games because of a separated shoulder, and forward Henrik Sedin has returned after sitting out five games because of a rib injury.