Kings getting better, not older

The Kings turned a little greener this week. They’ll probably grow considerably younger before the end of this month. Some might consider that a step back, but this metamorphosis continues to serve the team well.

Four players age 23 or younger scored goals Friday night, including rookies Ted Purcell and Brian Boyle, leading the Kings to a 6-3 victory over the Calgary Flames in front of the 10th sellout crowd of the season at Staples Center.

The Kings, who are expected to unload a veteran player before the trade deadline Feb. 26, improved to 10-5-1 over the last five weeks.

Purcell, recalled from the team’s AHL affiliate in Manchester, N.H., earlier in the day, scored his first NHL goal. Boyle scored his fourth in seven games with the Kings. And Patrick O’Sullivan and Anze Kopitar had game-clinching goals in the second period, showing why they’re considered two of the top young linemates in the league.

“That’s our team, that’s going to be our team in the future,” O’Sullivan said. “I think a lot of people don’t realize how good this group of young talent is that we have.”

The top performances weren’t limited to the 23-and-under crowd. Alexander Frolov, 25, continued to display his slick puck-handling skills, producing three assists. Frolov has 27 points in the last 20 games.

“They have good young forwards that are capable,” said Calgary’s leading scorer, Jarome Iginla.

Playing their first home game since Jan. 24, the Kings didn’t leave their fans wanting, scoring three goals in their first six shots against Calgary goalie Miikka Kiprusoff.

Frolov assisted on the first two, a cross-ice pass to Kevin Dallman, who scored at the 3:05 mark, and another cross to set up Boyle’s goal at 6:02. It was Dallman’s first goal since March 7. He recently returned from a 20-game absence after fracturing the top of his right foot Dec. 22 in Nashville.

Frolov’s pass to Boyle wasn’t as precise, but Boyle displayed his smooth stick-handling by pulling the puck in front of him and beating Kiprusoff with a quick strike.

Purcell, who made his NHL debut last month but went scoreless in five games, gave the Kings a 3-1 lead just nine minutes into the game, taking a Kyle Calder pass from behind the net and beating Kiprusoff with a slap shot from the slot.

Calgary, which had won six straight against the Kings, cut the deficit to 3-2 on a goal by Dustin Boyd with three minutes remaining in the opening period, but the Kings answered with three more goals in the second to take a 6-2 lead.

O’Sullivan scored a short-handed goal when he stole the puck from Adrian Aucoin near the Kings’ blue line and made a nice pass off the boards to Michal Handzus to start a two-on-one break. Handzus fed the puck back to O’Sullivan as he neared the crease and he beat Kiprusoff down low to his glove side. O’Sullivan scored the Kings’ last short-handed goal Dec. 22 in Nashville.

“It’s really tough when you give up a short-handed goal,” O’Sullivan said. “For us to get one, that was big. . . . It kind of got us going again.”

Frolov got his third assist after stealing the puck from Robyn Regehr along the boards, going behind the net and feeding Derek Armstrong out front. The Kings made it 6-2 when Dustin Brown knocked the puck loose from a Calgary player with a firm forecheck, O’Sullivan scooped it up and passed to Kopitar, who scored his 25th goal of the season.

-- TONIGHT

at Phoenix, 6, FSN West

Site -- Jobing.com Arena.

Radio -- 1150.

Records -- Kings 25-32-3, Coyotes 29-25-4.

Record vs. Coyotes -- 0-4-0.

Update -- Former King and NHL Hall of Famer Wayne Gretzky is 11-7-2 against Los Angeles since taking over as coach of the Coyotes before the 2005-06 season. In their four losses to Phoenix this season, the Kings have managed just four goals. The Coyotes beat Dallas on Thursday to end a four-game losing streak.

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dan.arritt@latimes.com