Third-Period Turnovers Costly

The mood in the Kings’ dressing room was more solemn than cheerful following Saturday’s 3-3 tie with the Mighty Ducks because the players knew that they gave away a victory with two costly turnovers early in the third period.

Defenseman Mattias Norstrom was involved in the first lapse when he failed to knock the puck out of the Kings’ zone, which led to a goal by the Ducks’ Steve Rucchin to make the score, 3-2.

“It was a mistake . . . when I didn’t clear the zone or it would have ended a 3-2 game,” said Norstrom, who was on the ice for nearly 27 minutes, playing mostly against Paul Kariya and Teemu Selanne. “We played a pretty good game but we have to be more consistent. We have to play for 60 minutes and not 55. But [the good thing is] that maybe a month ago we played just 50, so we are making a move in the right direction.”

Coach Larry Robinson said that Norstrom--who was pressured by Selanne on the play--was not really at fault for Rucchin’s goal.

“The problem was that we had the puck almost outside the blue line but we brought it back in,” Robinson said. “That was our first mistake. [Norstrom] was trying to outduel Selanne and it was kind of a bang-bang play. The mistake was made before that.”

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Rucchin had an ice bag wrapped around his right knee after the game. Another war wound for the Ducks’ top-line center.

“He’s a big guy,” goalie Guy Hebert said. “He takes a beating in front of the net. All people see are Paul [Kariya] and Teemu [Selanne] flying around the ice. Nobody sees Steve getting banged around.”

A nagging groin injury and occasional bouts with back spasms have slowed Rucchin, who was the Ducks’ third-leading scorer last season with 19 goals and 67 points. His third-period goal Saturday gave him eight goals and 28 points in 43 games this season.

“I feel like I’m starting to come back to where I was last year,” Rucchin said. “I’ve been sitting back too much. I don’t know why. At times I feel good. At times I sit on the bench and ask myself, ‘What am I doing? Why am I sitting back?’

“It’s up to me to get [Kariya and Selanne] the puck more often.”