Norstrom Upset With the Effort

The Kings are rapidly unraveling for a second consecutive season, having lost 10 of 14 games to fall out of the playoff race. In 2003-04, they lost their last 11 games.

“What’s disappointing is the effort the last two weeks,” team captain Mattias Norstrom said. “It was better today, but it wasn’t good enough. We’ve been aware of our situation for weeks now. It didn’t just sneak up on us today, or last game, or the game before. We knew the situation, yet haven’t played like we needed to play.”

The Kings led the Pacific Division by four points and had the second-most points in the Western Conference, one point behind the Detroit Red Wings, on Jan. 6. The Kings have a 13-20-3 record since and, barring a miracle, will miss the playoffs for a third consecutive season.

“We have to play for each other and play for the guy that is in front of you on the ice,” interim Coach John Torchetti said. “You have to play for the organization and for your job. I’m sure management will be reviewing what players they want to keep.”

That may be for the next management team. General Manager Dave Taylor’s job is believed to be on the line and he could be gone if the team does not qualify for the postseason.

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The Kings will not hold a state-of-the-franchise meeting with season-ticket holders before the end of the season, an annual event in the past.

A team spokesman said that fans had received access through three “breakfast with the general manager” sessions this season. There will be an “Access Kings” meeting in May.

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Defenseman Nathan Dempsey, playing for the first time since missing six games with a concussion, scored with a shot from the blue line for the Kings’ second goal.... Joe Corvo of the Kings did not play for the first time this season, having been scratched as a coach’s decision.

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A troubling sign has emerged for the Mighty Ducks, even as they notched their 10th win in 13 games. They can’t seem to stay out of the penalty box.

After drawing nine minor penalties and allowing two power-play goals Thursday in a 5-3 loss to Dallas, the Ducks took nine more Saturday and allowed the Kings nine chances with extra attackers.

This time, they killed eight of nine King power plays, including two five-on-three situations. But the sheer number of miscues is becoming a concern.

“The five-on-threes are the killers,” Duck Coach Randy Carlyle said. “You can’t continue to put yourself down [two players].”

Carlyle took some offense to Francois Beauchemin’s cross-checking call on the Kings’ Mark Parrish in the slot late in the second period that gave the Kings a two-man advantage.

“As per the rule, they called that cross-checking,” Carlyle said. “He hit the guy with his shoulder. But that’s the way it is. It’s a human judgment. We’re not criticizing the officials, but he made the call because he felt he saw that.”

Duck captain Scott Niedermayer said the numerous penalties result from the other team’s work as well as their own doing.

“There’s both sides of it,” Niedermayer said. “The other team’s coming at you hard and maybe has you hemmed in your zone. Sometimes you’re forced into things that lead to penalties. You give credit to other teams when that happens.”

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By claiming five of the eight games, the Ducks won the season series with the Kings for the sixth time in their 12-year history.

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Teemu Selanne had two assists Saturday to finish with 12 points in the series. In the last four matchups, all Duck wins, Selanne had four goals and six assists.