Kings Lack Grit in Loss

GLENDALE, Ariz. — Kings’ Coach Andy Murray more or less shrugged. Kings’ captain Mattias Norstrom identified the problem in matter-of-fact terms. Jason LaBarbera, the team’s wannabe No. 1 goaltender, faced simple facts.

These were the reactions from the 4-0 shutout by the Phoenix Coyotes on Thursday, a loss that was easy to understand -- the Kings were among the thousands of no-shows at a less-than-half-full Glendale Arena.

“If you don’t come out and play hard, if you’re not prepared, then this is what is going to happen,” Norstrom said. “We didn’t come ready with the gritty type of play that was needed.”

This seemed the closest thing to a gimme for the Kings. Phoenix had yet to win a game against a Pacific Division opponent, going 0-5 through the first month of the season. The Coyotes had four days off to ponder their division woes, and many of the announced crowd of 14,626 appeared to be taking a fifth day away from hockey.

Thus what may have been the Kings’ worst performance of the season was a semi-private affair. It was their worst defeat since losing, 8-3, to Buffalo on Feb. 13, 2004.

“We don’t need to analyze this or have a players-only meeting,” Murray said. “It is easy to look for the negatives.”

The positive?

“We didn’t give up one in the third period,” Murray said.

The rest was easy to sum up.

LaBarbera took a seat for the third period.

LaBarbera seemed on the verge of claiming the Kings’ top goaltender spot, making his third consecutive start. Or at least he seemed like the guy Murray was going with until he stumbled.

That pratfall came Thursday, when LaBarbera gave up four goals on the Coyotes’ first 20 shots. Mathieu Garon replaced LaBarbera in the third period, and the goaltender controversy was back on.

“No one wants to come out of a game,” LaBarbera said. “We just didn’t play great.”

Coyote goaltender Curtis Joseph picked up his 45th career shutout. He hardly had to break a sweat, though. The Kings had only six shots on goal during the first 30 minutes. They spent 4:02 of the first 4:24 of the second period on the power play, including a two-man advantage for 24 seconds, and managed only one shot in the time.

“We were standing around the whole night,” LaBarbera said.

The Coyotes out-hit the Kings and added injury to insult, sending Craig Conroy and Tim Gleason to the dressing room with what the Kings called “upper body injuries.” Only Gleason returned.

There wasn’t much of a reason to come back. The Kings’ best chance of making this a game came and went in a seven-second span.

Jeremy Roenick lined up a shot and fired, with the puck glancing off the crossbar 10:18 into the first period. The Coyotes came up ice and Mike Leclerc left a drop pass for Krys Kolanos, whose shot into the upper part of the net gave the Coyotes a 2-0 lead 10:25 into the period.

When Leclerc shoveled a rebound into an open net 8:59 into the second period, the Coyotes had a 3-0 lead, their largest of the season, and the Kings were well on their way to defeat.