[0] IT'S DUCK SOUP FOR KINGS' BLAKE KINGS 6, DUCKS 2.

Byline: Matt McHale Staff Writer

The Kings were reeling when the week began, and the Mighty Ducks were rolling.

Rob Blake changed all that Wednesday, when the Kings defeated the Ducks for the second time in three days, 6-2.

In front of a sellout crowd of 18,118 at the Staples Center, Blake had more than a goal and an assist. He erased the memory of the three winless road games he missed with a hairline fracture in his lower back.

Blake had a goal in both games against the Ducks, including one in Monday's 5-4 overtime victory. Wednesday, he tipped his own rebound past goaltender Guy Hebert just 1:26 into the third period to give the Kings a four-goal lead.

``I don't think it is me,'' Blake said after the Kings (5-4-2) won two in a row for the first time this year. ``I think this is a team ready to break out. I watched the game when I was out and you could see this coming. It's good to be back.''

Blake's presence, though, was seen throughout the night in the Kings' reconfigured offense. He was one of six Kings to score, was on the ice for three goals and had an assist when Steven Reinprecht made it 4-1.

``When you get your captain back, good things happen,'' said Luc Robitaille, who had three assists.

Reinprecht, the rookie center who opened the season on the fourth line, scored at 8:43 of the second period, a goal that chased Ducks goaltender Dominic Roussel. Reinprecht was moved up to the second unit three games ago in place of veteran Bryan Smolinski.

Smolinski had given the Kings a 2-1 lead just 15 seconds into the second period on an assist from Nelson Emerson, who also spent the first few weeks with the second unit.

Emerson, who had five 20-goal seasons before coming over from expansion Atlanta last season, made it 3-1 with his third goal on a pass in front from Kelly Buchberger.

``We don't look at it as a demotion,'' Smolinski said. ``We've made some changes that have improved the club. That is the most important thing.''

Although the Kings went 0 for 15 on the power play in Blake's absence, the Kings' penalty-killing unit already had allowed 15 goals this season. Wednesday, with a strong effort by Buchberger on the third line, the Ducks were 1 for 5 on the power play.

The goal was scored by Steve Rucchin with less than 2 1/2 minutes to play, long after the game was decided. Even though Paul Kariya tied the game 11:44 into the first, the Ducks were never in this one.

When Kariya fired a slap shot over Jamie Storr's left shoulder, it was the Ducks first shot of the game. They now have dropped two straight after going unbeaten in their last four road games.

``I don't know why, we just gave up,'' defenseman Oleg Tverdovsky said. ``We started watching . . . and they killed us. We stopped checking and we stopped skating.''

Not only was the victory the Kings' second in three days against the Ducks, it marked the first time in seven years they have defeated the Ducks four straight.

Although the Kings have been stung by penalties all season, Wednesday was their turn to take advantage.

Midway through the first period they found themselves in a five-on-three advantage for one minute and 27 seconds after Matt Cullen (high sticking) and Niclas Havelid (slashing) were whistled off.

Robitaille got a shot off, but it was blocked by Roussel. Jozef Stumpel got the rebound and scored his second goal in three games.

Ziggy Palffy was limited to one assist, but he remains the NHL scoring leader with 16 points (eight goals, eight assists).

``That was the kind of game we need to play every night,'' Palffy said. ``Everybody gets involved. Every line made it tough on the other team.''

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Photo: Nelson Emerson, left, and Bryan Smolinski of the Kings fight with the Ducks' Steve Ruchin for the puck in the first period of Wednesday night's game at Staples Center.

Mark J. Terrill/Associated Press