It’s Not Old Hat for Visnovsky

King defenseman Lubomir Visnovsky froze -- for the first time all evening -- and with wide-eyed sincerity asked the crowd of media, “What?”

Oh, those three goals.

The somewhat bashful and -- this season -- completely effective Visnovsky was stunned to be the center of attention.

Never mind his three goals propelled the Kings to a 6-3 victory over the Dallas Stars on Wednesday. Or that he leads NHL defensemen in scoring with 18 points. Visnovsky still couldn’t seem to understand the attention.

“What do I say, I’m happy,” Visnovsky said.

So were the Kings, who dominated the Stars for the second time in less than two weeks in the American Airlines Center.

The Pavol Demitra-Craig Conroy-Alexander Frolov connection accounted for seven points, giving them 37 in the last seven games, and the Kings wiggled out of four first-period power plays, including a five-on-three situation with the score tied, 1-1.

But the spotlight belonged to Visnovsky, who produced the team’s first hat trick since Bryan Smolinski scored three goals in the Kings’ 8-2 victory over Carolina on Feb. 7, 2003. Visnovsky said it was his first hat trick since becoming a professional -- and he was at a loss for words.

“Three lucky shots,” Visnovsky said.

Said Conroy: “Lubo has to let [Jeremy Roenick] talk about him.”

Roenick was more than happy to do just that.

“He takes chances out there and comes up with big plays,” Roenick said. “He’s pushing this team right now.”

Visnovsky, who has six goals this season, pushed the Kings into a secure lead in the second period with a power-play goal and another that he scored one second after a Dallas penalty had ended.

He first whipped a shot from the blue line that went off the skate of goaltender Johan Hedberg and into the net for a 3-1 lead 8 minutes 17 seconds into the second period. Visnovsky then chipped a cross-crease pass from Demitra for a 4-1 lead 51 seconds later.

With the Stars lurking early in the third period, Visnovsky rocketed a shot from the high slot for a 5-2 lead.

Visnovsky had come close to a hat trick before, scoring two goals against Atlanta on Oct. 29, 2002; he thought he had scored three, but replays showed that Mikko Eloranta had scored that one. On Wednesday, he won on replay, as a goal awarded to Roenick was given to Visnovsky after being reviewed.

“Right now, anything he shoots is going in the net,” Conroy said. “When a guy is as hot as Lubo, you want to get him on the ice as much as possible. I don’t know if he is closing his eyes out there, but he could and the puck would still go in.”

The Kings dangled chances in front of the Stars in the first period. The Kings, who eased to a 7-2 victory in Dallas on Oct. 20, swapped goals with the Stars in the first 6 1/2 minutes.

The Stars had a chance to take control when the Kings received two penalties, giving Dallas a two-man advantage for 1:51. But the Stars failed to get a shot on net. They finished with only one goal in seven power-play opportunities.