After demotion, Alexei Ponikarovsky raises his game in Kings’ 6-1 win over Predators

Kings Coach Terry Murray was so unhappy with Alexei Ponikarovsky on Thursday that he demoted the winger to the fourth line. Worse, Murray wouldn’t speak his name, calling him “the other player on that left side.”

Ponikarovsky probably will stay on the fourth line, but his determined effort Saturday got him out of Murray’s doghouse and set the tone for the Kings’ 6-1 rout of the Predators at Bridgestone Arena, only their third victory in their last nine road games.

Without injured defensemen Matt Greene and Willie Mitchell, the Kings needed their forwards to be responsible on defense and to push the issue on offense by jumping on the Predators, who had played Friday. After Justin Williams scored off a lucky bounce 15 seconds into the game, Ponikarovsky provided an example for his fellow forwards with tireless work as the Kings recorded their first four-goal period of the season.

“No one likes to be brought down a couple lines. It’s definitely a dagger to yourself. But that’s the way a professional hockey player needs to play,” said defenseman Drew Doughty, one of seven Kings who recorded two points.

“You need to show that you should be on that line, and that’s exactly what he did tonight. He was great out there.”

Ryan Smyth scored twice and every Kings forward except Anze Kopitar and Kyle Clifford earned at least one point to halt the Predators’ five-game winning streak. The outburst took pressure off goaltender Jonathan Bernier, who won for only the third time this season and for the first time since he defeated the Predators on Nov. 6 at Staples Center.

“I really put a lot of effort in practice and I think it showed tonight,” he said. “I was battling hard to find the puck and I had some success on that, for sure.”

In addition to Dustin Brown’s forceful two-assist performance and fourth straight multipoint game, the biggest statement came from Ponikarovsky, who was minus-one Thursday and silent offensively.

“He played well. It was a real solid game for him and the line,” Murray said.

Ponikarovsky controlled the puck for almost an entire shift and set up Trevor Lewis’ 20-foot backhander at 8:49 of the first period. He gave the Kings a 5-1 lead at 3:43 of the second period, after Oscar Moller stole the puck from Shane O’Brien and got it out front for Lewis. Ponikarovsky batted it past Mark Dekanich, who had relieved starter Anders Lindback after the Kings took a 3-0 lead.

“It was a good effort by the whole team. Everybody worked hard and dug in and won the battles along the boards,” Ponikarovsky said.

He said he decided he had to make the best of being separated from Michal Handzus and Wayne Simmonds and put alongside Lewis and Kevin Westgarth.

“The coaching staff has to do whatever they decided would be better for the team. We just have to respond with different attitude and basically work hard and do that on a consistent basis,” he said.

Smyth said the Kings (18-11-1) were motivated Saturday by their sloppy loss in St. Louis. He contributed the Kings’ fourth goal, five minutes after Nashville had pulled to within 3-1, when he batted a fluttering puck and watched it flip over the goalie’s shoulder, and scored the final goal from close range at 16:04 of the second period.

“We wanted to come out with a little conviction tonight, and I thought we did that right from the outset, obviously, 15 seconds into the game,” he said. “That gives a team a boost.”

They had little time to savor the victory with a plane waiting to carry them to Sunday’s game at Chicago. But their baggage didn’t include a doghouse for Ponikarovsky.

helene.elliott@latimes.com

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