[0] POWER OUTAGE NEARLY KOS KINGS KEY VICTORY OVER FLAMES COULD HAVE BEEN EASIER CONSIDERING ADVANTAGES KINGS 3, CALGARY 1.

Byline: Matt McHale Staff Writer

This time of year, the Kings only care about games won, not opportunities lost.

But as the opponents get tougher down the stretch, it might be hard to forget their slumping power play, which could have made Saturday night's 3-1 victory over the Calgary Flames a whole lot easier.

The sellout crowd of 18,118 at Staples Center saw the Kings complete a four-game season sweep of the Flames and solidify their sixth spot in the Western Conference.

But for the third consecutive game, the Kings did not score on the power play. Four times during that span, including twice against Calgary, the Kings failed with a five-on-three.

That's not a man advantage. That's Christmas morning.

``The power play is what wins playoff games,'' captain Rob Blake said. ``It just has to get better.''

The Kings, who close out their season-long seven-game homestand Monday night against Vancouver, are 3-2-1 in the first six games. That could be better if they weren't 0 for 8 Saturday, 0 for 19 with just two goals in their last 35 power-play chances.

``Our timing has to be better and we have to crash the net more,'' said Luc Robitaille, who had two assists, including one on Aki Berg's third-period goal. ``It isn't hard work. We're doing that. We have to get more rebounds.''

The Kings (33-27-8) did get first-period goals from Ziggy Palffy and Craig Johnson, who beat Flames goaltender Grant Fuhr making his first start since mid-November when he went out with a knee injury.

But Fuhr stopped 35 of 38 shots and allowed the Flames to hang around.

``He still has the reflexes,'' said Johnson, a former teammate. ``He is a great talent. When I played with him in St. Louis it was always fun to play against him in practice. He still has it.''

The Flames (28-33-8) entered the game just three points behind San Jose for the eighth and final playoff spot in the West but were coming off dismal losses against Colorado (8-3) and Toronto (6-2). Now, they are eight points behind the Kings.

``But they play so hard you can never let up,'' Kings coach Andy Murray said. ``I look at this game as a four-point swing in the standings.

Calgary cut the lead to 2-1 midway through the second period on a goal by Jarome Iginla, the NHL Player of the Month for February.

Iginla, who had a league-high 16-game scoring streak stopped by the Avalanche, took a long pass in front from Phil Housley and poked it past Jamie Storr for his 24th goal of the season. Iginla had 28 all last year.

Again the Kings power play failed them from holding off the Flames. With 4:03 remaining in the second and Derek Morris already off for cross checking, former Duck Bobby Dollas was whistled for holding the stick.

That gave the Kings a five-on-three advantage for one minute and 31 seconds. They didn't score.

Palffy scored first at 12:19 when he skated across the Flames crease as Rob Blake fired from the slot. The rebound popped out and Palffy slipped it under Fuhr's right pad for his 26th goal.

Unlike Palffy, Johnson rarely gets to show off his offense. But with less than two minutes left in the period, he and Ian Laperriere converged in front of the Calgary goal. The puck landed on Johnson's stick and he slid it between Fuhr's legs for his ninth of the season.

But without the power play, the Kings could not pull away. The first five-on-three came at 14:04 of the first when Eric Charron went off for roughing. Darryl Shannon already was in the box from cross checking, but the Kings couldn't capitalize.

``You can't get frustrated,'' Storr said. ``You have to take what you are given and do your job.''

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Photo: Kings' Sean O'Donnell receives a pass as Calgary's Jeff Shantz tries to swipe it.

John Hayes/Associated Press