[0] KINGS RING BELFOUR L.A. PUMMELS GOALIE, DALLAS TO SNAP OUT OF SCORING FUNK KINGS 8, DALLAS 0.

Byline: Matt McHale Staff Writer

It was either something in the water or in the Stars.

How else to explain the Kings' 8-0 victory over Dallas on Tuesday night after the team had scored just once in the previous three games.

How else to figure the abuse heaped on Stars' goaltender Ed Belfour, who was made to absorb the worst beating of his career.

How else to give the Staples Center crowd of 15,146 free ice cream when Luc Robitaille scored the first of his two goals in the final four seconds of the second period. Then, most of the fans left, but even in the parking lot they knew a huge weight had been lifted.

After back-to-back shutouts by Philadelphia and Calgary and a dreary loss to expansion Minnesota, the Kings needed to let loose. Overall, seven Kings scored and goaltender Jamie Storr recorded his third shutout of the season and 10th of his career.

Defenseman Jaroslav Modry was on the ice for five of the Kings' goals. Former Kings defenseman Darryl Sydor was on the ice for four, each time drawing loud cheers from home crowd.

Probably the only thing that did not go right was Edmonton, the No. 8 team in the Western Conference, beating Calgary, so the Kings did not gain any ground. But with No. 10 Nashville coming into town Thursday night, there was no better tuneup than this game.

It came against a Dallas team that now has dropped three consecutive games for the first time since the first month of last season. More remarkable is that the Kings now have beaten the Stars in five of their last six meetings after going 24 in a row without a victory vs. Dallas.

The Kings entered the game with just one goal in their last three games, all losses. They matched that just 2:20 into the first period when Jozef Stumpel rebounded Jaroslav Modry's shot from the slot past Belfour. That turned out to be enough, but the Kings were just getting started.

Next up was Palffy, who has been struggling this month since returning from a torn right hamstring. Palffy picked up the loose puck at center ice and bore down on Belfour. Palffy faked left, went right and lifted the puck into the net for his 25th goal of the season at 11:37 of the first.

It was just Palffy's third goal since the night he returned from the injury. The other two came in one game, against Carolina on Jan. 20.

No. 3 went to Nelson Emerson, who was moved from the Kings' checking line to their second unit in place of slumping Glen Murray. With 2:20 left in the first, Steven Reinprecht threw the puck in front of Belfour and Emerson batted it home.

There was more than 40 minutes left in the game and the pressure from their recent woes was off. The only way to celebrate was to keep it going.

They added three goals in the second period, but the Stars stayed with Belfour and gave the bullpen some rest.

Five minutes into the second, Rob Blake scored on the power play after Brendan Morrow was whistled off for boarding. It was Blake's 17th of the season, which leads all defenseman. And it was the Kings' first goal with the man advantage in their last 20 chances.

Reinprecht made it 5-0 at 11:08 on a nifty wraparound goal. He skated untouched behind the Dallas net, measured Belfour in front and tucked the puck into the top right-hand corner. It was his second in the last 17 games.

It was only fitting that Robitaille got into the act, scoring with just 4.7 seconds left in the second. Aside from a two-goal effort Jan. 16 against Ottawa, Robitaille had not scored in the last 14 games.

That looked like it would be enough for Belfour, who had seven shutouts by Dec. 13.

But midway through the final period, Ian Laperriere poked home the seventh goal of the night. Belfour finished January 3-6-0.

Kings: Six or more goals this season

--Jan. 30, 2001 vs. Dallas 8-0

--Jan. 20, 2001 at Carolina 6-3

--Jan. 16, 2001 at Ottawa 7-6 OT

--Dec. 19, 2000 vs. Atlanta 6-7 OT

--Nov. 28, 2000 at N.Y. Rangers 6-7

--Nov. 18, 2000 vs. Colorado 6-4

--Oct. 25, 2000 vs. Ducks 6-2

--Oct. 9, 2000 at Columbus 7-1

CAPTION(S):

photo, box

Photo: (color) Nelson Emerson, left, slides past the goal but not before beating Dallas goalie Ed Belfour on Tuesday at Staples Center.

John McCoy/Staff Photographer

Box: Kings: Six or more goals this season (see text)