Kings Finally Show Power

An infusion of new blood showed signs of resuscitating the Kings’ power play and an old-timer gave them a 3-2 overtime win over Colorado on Tuesday night at the Great Western Forum.

Veteran defenseman Garry Galley popped in the game-winner 4:55 into overtime, and the Kings got a power-play goal from Rob Blake to start them on their way.

A man advantage was no advantage at all for the Kings last season. They were successful on only an unlucky 13% of their opportunities, in itself just cause for trading with the New York Islanders for Ziggy Palffy.

That deal realized a bit of its potential when Palffy sent the puck to Blake, who sent it past Avalanche goalie David Aebischer for the Kings’ first goal. It came after Colorado took a 2-0 lead on goals by Joe Sakic and Sandis Osolinsh in a 1:39 flurry of the second period.

The Kings’ other goal came from Vladimir Tsyplakov, who was playing up with the No. 2 line in place of left wing Donald Audette, who sat out the game because of a hip flexor.

Tsyplakov, who has been playing with the so-called “energy” or fourth line through much of training camp, celebrated his return to offense by converting a rebound of a rejected shot by Galley at 8:27 of the third period.

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Right wing Brad Chartrand, who played in the AHL last season and has two years with Kings’ Coach Andy Murray and the Canadian national team, has a fix on his future, if that future is in the NHL.

“I can’t compare with the Ziggy Palffys, the Glen Murrays,” he said. “After two years with the national team . . . you get an idea of what it takes. You start to see yourself in a different role.”

That role is defensive in nature, though Chartrand took advantage of an offensive opportunity when he assisted on Galley’s game-winning goal.

Chartrand is seeking a role with the Kings’ stopper unit, which helped hold Colorado to 18 shots Tuesday night in a game in which the Kings had 44.

“I know that I have to be better than a veteran to get a job,” he said. “I can’t be just as good as a veteran.”