Kings Ahead of the Games

This Kings’ victory came from their Olympians, past, present and, who knows, maybe future.

Goaltender Mathieu Garon, who someday might get the call from Team Canada, made the final play. He extended his right leg to block a shot by Vancouver’s Markus Naslund that preserved a 4-3 shootout victory Monday at General Motors Place.

Alexander Frolov, who will play for Russia, scored the only goal in the shootout, slipping a shot between the legs of Canucks’ goaltender Alexander Auld. Craig Conroy, named to Team USA on Monday, got the game-tying goal in the second period on a play he created.

But it was Jeremy Roenick, a veteran of two previous Olympics but passed over for this time, who did the most. He had a goal and assist, then had his say about the Team USA selection committee afterward.

“I don’t need to show them anything,” Roenick said. “I know how I can play the game and don’t need all that ... from them. I know I have been blackballed because I didn’t play in two World Cups.”

Garon won his second shootout in three games, making two quality saves, to move the Kings into a tie with Dallas in the Pacific Division; the Stars have played four fewer games.

But Roenick’s first multipoint game since the season opener was merely a starting point for him.

“I know my numbers are off,” Roenick said. “But they didn’t invite me to [the pre-Olympic] camp in September. So I know I’m being blackballed. That’s all right, I’ll enjoy the two weeks off and get rested up to help my team down the stretch.”

Roenick did that Monday. He announced his presence by driving Brendan Morrison to the ice three seconds into the game. Roenick later set about getting the Kings even.

He buried a one-timer off a pass from Pavol Demitra -- who will play for Slovakia in the Olympics -- to cut Vancouver’s 2-0 lead in half 9 minutes 54 seconds into the game. It ended a 10-game goal-less streak for Roenick. Roenick then set up a tying goal, feeding Derek Armstrong, who flipped in a back-hander 16:22 into the game.

For all that, the Kings can send the “thank you” card to the Team USA selection committee.

Roenick has had a poor season thus far, with five goals and 11 points before Monday, but he had lobbied hard publicly to get a spot on the Olympic roster. That included saying it would be a “travesty” not to take him.

Don Waddell, general manager of Team USA, when asked about Roenick’s comment, said, “I really took it as a compliment. I could appreciate how much he wanted to be on this team. At the end of the day, we thought we had 13 forwards better than Jeremy at this point.”

Roenick was not the only past Olympian passed over by the selection committee. Brian Leetch, John LeClair and Tony Amonte were among others who didn’t make the cut.

Roenick contended not playing in the 1996 World Cup because of a contract holdout and the 2004 event because of a concussion cost him.

“There is a lot of [stuff] from some people,” Roenick said. “I’m happy for the guys playing and wish them the best. But I know I could have played on that team. I could have adapted to any role. I’ve shown that this season.”

Conroy showed the type of effort that got him noticed by the Olympic committee with the Kings trailing, 3-2, in the second period. He bullied Markus Naslund off the puck, fed a pass to Demitra, then raced to the net to bang in the return pass.

*

Times staff writer Helene Elliott contributed to this report.