Showing Their Stingy Side

BOSTON —  Heading into Thursday’s game at Boston, the Kings had the NHL’s next-to-worst penalty-killing unit on the road, giving up 36 goals in 155 short-handed situations.

But against the Bruins, it was a different story for the Kings, who were at their stingy best in not giving up a goal in five power-play attempts.

“We just played good tonight,” Coach Andy Murray said. “We knew that Boston would come out hard tonight because they have a lot of pride, but we also came out as hard early in the game. That was good to see.”

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Forward Alexander Frolov is the Kings’ third-leading scorer, but he had been struggling to find the net. After scoring 13 goals in his first 24 games, Frolov scored only once in his next 21.

All of that changed Thursday when he scored three goals against Boston in a 6-0 victory.

“He earned it tonight by working hard over the first two periods,” Murray said.

Added Frolov: “I came close until the third.”

Frolov scored three goals in the final period.

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Sean Avery may not have scored a goal, but he picked up two assists and was a pesky force on both ends against the Bruins, which should not come as a surprise to Murray, who kept him on a line with Craig Conroy and Frolov.

“He’s a good player,” Murray said before the game. “That’s why he’s in there.”

Defenseman Lubomir Visnovsky, who picked up assists on the Kings’ first two goals Thursday, now has eight points in five games in 2006 and extended his career-best total to 46 for the season. Visnovsky did not play in the third period because of flu symptoms.

Center Eric Belanger, who has not played since Dec. 29 because of a groin injury, participated in Thursday’s morning skate without any problems and said that he may be back in the lineup next week.

Murray watched Jason LaBarbera, who has not been in net for the Kings since Dec. 29, play for Manchester on Wednesday and said the goaltender played well.

LaBarbera, in Manchester for conditioning, made 33 saves for the Monarchs in a 3-2 shootout loss to Portland.

Murray said that he hopes forward Jeremy Roenick, sidelined since Dec. 19 because of a broken finger, will return within the next two weeks. Murray added that Roenick has lost 15 pounds since the start of the season, thanks to a rigorous workout schedule.