Garon to Get Start in Goal

Mathieu Garon will start in goal tonight for the Kings against the Dallas Stars. Dan Cloutier will sit, a move that fans who saw Thursday’s debacle against the Stars would approve.

Cloutier was jeered, and even given a mock cheer for one save, during the Kings’ 4-1 loss.

This has yet to become a full-blown goaltender controversy, but it seems on that path.

Cloutier, acquired from the Vancouver Canucks over the summer, has a 3.35 goals-against average in three starts, two of them losses. Garon stopped 35 of 36 shots in his only start, a victory over the St. Louis Blues.

“We have to learn from our mistakes,” said Cloutier, who gave up three goals on the first 12 shots by the Stars. “We can’t sit back and think about the bad things.”

Coach Marc Crawford has said he will use both goaltenders, but Cloutier will get the lion’s share. He also said this week, “Nothing is written in stone.”

In three starts, Cloutier has had a couple of red-faced, red-light moments. Twice he let innocuous-looking shots squeeze between him and the left post. But he was also an easy target Thursday, when the Kings offered little help in an effort that brought a scolding from Crawford.

“It’s like a pitcher in baseball who gives up a home run, everyone blames him,” General Manager Dean Lombardi said. “If a forward turns the puck over, nobody notices it. I guess it comes with the position.

“Dan knows he needs to be better. But he wasn’t alone [Thursday].”

Garon, meanwhile, has accepted his backup role gracefully. “All I can do is take one game at a time, one day at a time,” he said.

chris.foster@latimes.com

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TONIGHT

vs. Dallas, 7:30, FSNW

Site -- Staples Center.

Radio -- 1150.

Records -- Kings 2-2-0, Stars 3-0-0.

Record vs. Stars -- 0-1-0.

Update -- The Kings signed goaltender Jonathan Bernier, their first-round draft pick in June, to a three-year, $2.55-million contract.

Tickets -- (888) 546-4752.