ANOTHER LISTLESS DEFEAT FOR KINGS EDMONTON 6, KINGS 3.

Byline: Matt McHale Staff Writer

There are two months left in the season, but there were times Monday night when the Kings sure looked like a team that came home to die.

They ended their eight-game homestand with a 6-3 loss to Edmonton in front of 14,057 at Staples Center. A victory would have put them into a tie with the Oilers for the eighth and final playoff spot in the Western Conference.

Outside of Glen Murray and Bryan Smolinski, showing up seemed to be as big a challenge as they could handle. Murray had two goals, both on assists from Smolinski, and Smolinski had a goal on an assist from Murray.

But with 9:34 left in the third period, all that energy seemed to slip away. With Mattias Norstrom in the penalty box for interference, the Oilers outworked the Kings in front and Mike Grier scored their fifth goal of the night.

The Kings were 0 for 6 on the power play, including one in the final 2:00 of the game.

The crowd started to leave. The Kings finished the homestand 2-5-1 and now head out to play Dallas, a team looking for payback after being embarrassed here 8-0 last week.

From there, it's on to Minnesota, Chicago, Edmonton and Calgary before coming home for one game. After that, they go back on the road for Nashville and Chicago.

All of those teams could impact the Kings' showing in the West.

Monday, the Oilers sure made the Kings look sheepish at times. For the second consecutive game goaltender Jamie Storr was pulled. This time, he had his back to the play when rookie Mike Comrie skated behind the net and scored to give Edmonton a 3-1 lead just 1:56 into the second period.

It also gave the Oilers a 20-4 advantage in shots.

Smolinski, playing center on the first line in place of injured Jozef Stumpel (right hamstring), started a comeback when he beat Edmonton goaltender Tommy Salo for his 20th goal of the season with 2:06 left in the period.

Just 28 seconds into the third, Murray took a pass from Smolinski near the Oilers blue line and let go a tremendous slap shot that beat Salo low to the stick side.

Meanwhile, the Kings defensemen started to tighten up in front of Storr's replacement, Steve Passmore. The Kings lost Mathieu Schneider with a bruised right hip in the first period. But Rob Blake, who missed the last two games with an injured right shoulder, started to shake off the rust.

Edmonton, which had just 19 goals in its last 10 games, opened the scoring 3:34 into the game when Shawn Horcoff beat Storr. Ziggy Palffy was down on the ice when Horcoff shot and the puck deflected off his body and into the net.

It was the Oilers' first goal in five periods.

Less than two minutes later, the Kings tied the game on perhaps Murray's slickest play of the season. Murray, who has been chastised by coach Andy Murray recently for lackluster play, stole a pass from Sean Brown at the Edmonton blue line and fired a slap shot from the high slot that beat goaltender Tommy Salo between the pads.