Taylor Calls About Non-Calls

Dave Taylor, the Kings’ senior vice president and general manager, has complained to the NHL about the officiating in recent games.

Taylor’s call Thursday to Mike Murphy, the league’s vice president of hockey operations, dealt with the game-tying goal scored by the Blues’ Mike Eastwood Tuesday night in a 2-2 decision at St. Louis.

“It shouldn’t have counted,” Taylor said flatly.

On the play, the Blues’ Tyson Nash was checked near the goal by the Kings’ Mattias Norstrom and swung around, knocking off goalie Stephane Fiset’s helmet and mask. Fiset never saw Eastwood’s shot.

Additionally, Taylor spent time in the officials’ dressing room after the Kings’ 8-2 victory over Edmonton on Dec. 30, complaining because the Oilers’ Mike Grier was not penalized for cross-checking the Kings’ Ziggy Palffy into the boards after Palffy scored in the second period.

And the Kings are still bridling over an elbow thrown Dec. 11 by Montreal’s Martin Rucinsky to the head of goalie Jamie Storr that Storr said contributed to a concussion that continues to affect him.

Storr is not yet skating, and the Kings have suffered through a six-game losing streak.

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After several construction delays, the Kings are scheduled to move into their new practice facility in El Segundo later this month, with an approximate target date of Jan. 22.

The move originally had been planned for October.

The facility already stages public skating and other activities, but the Kings’ move has been held up by city officials concerned about security.

The Lakers also are supposed to move to the building, but their practice facility is still a long way from completion.

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Even with a 1-7-1 record in their last nine games before Thursday night, the Kings’ 17-15-7-2 record, worth 43 points, marks their best start since they were 20-14-5 in 1992-93.

That season, the Kings went to the Stanley Cup finals, where they lost to Montreal.