Red Wings Still Rule the Kings

They can change the rules, change the goaltender equipment and change the economic landscape, but some things remain the same in the NHL.

The Detroit Red Wings seem just as capable of beating the Kings with a $39-million payroll as they did with a $78-million one. That was proven in a 5-2 Red Wings’ victory at Staples Center on Thursday night.

It has been nearly two years -- three counting the lockout -- since the Kings have defeated Detroit. The Red Wings stretched that winning streak to seven games, thanks in part to four third-period goals.

The one that mattered most was Johan Franzen’s first NHL goal, which came a minute after the Kings had tied the score, 2-2. He picked up a deflected pass in the King zone and beat an off-balance Mathieu Garon with 4:52 left in the third period

The finishing touches were two empty-net goals.

“We got beat by a couple bad bounces,” said Jeremy Roenick, who had the puck go off his skate and into the net to tie the score, 2-2, with 5:45 left in the third.

“There isn’t a player in here who didn’t work their butt off tonight. We left everything out on the ice.”

Before the season, there was gloom and doom predicted in Detroit, as the new collective bargaining agreement was supposed to hamstring the Red Wings, but Thursday’s victory gave them four wins in their first five games.

“There is still a lot of talent out there,” Roenick said. “If they had any holes, they filled them.”

That left the Kings on the short end again. They had more scoring chances, but bounces and bad decisions hurt.

The Kings’ Joe Corvo sent a pass into the neutral zone that never reached its target. Instead, Kirk Maltby intercepted the puck, made a beeline toward the net and beat Garon to break a 1-1 tie with 14:31 to play.

“You get what you deserve,” King Coach Andy Murray said. “You give up a breakaway on a 60-foot backhand pass? We’re all accountable.”

In the first period, Jason Williams slid a pass cross-ice, with the puck going off the stick of King defenseman Mattias Norstrom. Brendan Shanahan, who had slipped in behind Norstrom, chipped the ricochet into the net for a 1-0 lead.

“It is really difficult to take when you know you played better out there,” Roenick said.