Role Players Aid Kings

The Manchester Monarchs won one Wednesday night.

Michael Cammalleri scored two goals. Jeff Giuliano scored the go-ahead one. Tom Kostopoulos had an empty-net goal and an assist. Goaltender Mathieu Garon made several impressive stops in a 27-save performance.

Those were the players who made Manchester a quality team in the American Hockey League last season.

Wednesday, they were the pieces that lifted the Kings to a 5-2 victory over the Calgary Flames at the Pengrowth Saddledome, which smoothed over Luc Robitaille’s rough return to the lineup.

A four-goal third period gave the Kings a season-high four-game winning streak. In three of those games, they have rallied from 2-0 deficits, including Wednesday.

“That was one gutsy win,” Cammalleri said.

Missing were Jeremy Roenick, who will have surgery on a broken finger today, and Eric Belanger, who is day-to-day with a groin injury. Craig Conroy was out with flu and Aaron Miller was done after five shifts with what he said was a back injury.

“We have guys here and they had the opportunity to show they belonged in the NHL,” said Coach Andy Murray, who won his 200th game with the Kings. “We had guys make that statement.”

Cammalleri, who has been with the Kings all season, had a power-play goal in the second period, then started the third-period red-light brigade. He twirled and fired the puck, hitting a Calgary defenseman to go in the net and tie the score 4:28 into the period.

Giuliano, a yo-yo-like call-up from Manchester, scored 27 seconds later, redirecting Tom Kostopoulos’ shot halfway to the net for his first NHL goal. Pavol Demitra and Kostopoulos closed things out with goals.

“We got here tonight and we knew we were without J.R. and Eric, then we find out Craig can’t play and we lose Aaron early,” Kostopoulos said. “We knew it was going to take every single guy to win this and that’s what we got.”

The one-for-all included Robitaille, who had been a healthy, but unhappy, scratch the last three games -- the longest benching of his 19-season career. A reconciliation between Murray and Robitaille was forced upon them when Roenick was injured against Vancouver on Monday.

Robitaille spent 3:19 on the ice and 4:21 in the penalty box in the first period and had four penalties in all.

With Robitaille already in the box, Giuliano was called for hooking. Daymond Langkow cashed in on the two-man advantage, chipping in a shot for a 1-0 lead 3:45 into the game. Robitaille was called for roughing late in the period. This time, Jarome Iginla banged in a rebound for a 2-0 lead at 18:19.

“I wasn’t happy with a couple of those calls,” Robitaille said. Robitaille was on the ice, battling in front of the net, on both Cammalleri goals. “I would have to review the tape,” was all Murray would say when asked about Robitaille’s performance.