ARMSTRONG RALLIES KINGS TO TIE WITH AVS KINGS 3, COLORADO 3.

Byline: Matt McHale Staff Writer

After falling behind by two goals in the second period to the hottest team in the NHL, the Kings could have stood back and watched the Colorado Avalanche skate by on their way to the Stanley Cup Finals.

The Kings, though, are on a bit of a roll themselves, and with just three points separating four teams in the Western Conference playoff hunt, this was no time for spectators.

They came back to tie the Avs 3-3 Thursday night on a goal by Derek Armstrong with 3:25 remaining in the third period in front of a delirious sellout crowd of 18,118 at Staples Center.

Armstrong's goal typified a gritty performance that has given the Kings a 4-1-2 record in their past seven games. Trent Klatt charged the Colorado net and took a shot that an onrushing Armstrong tipped in for the tying goal.

Colorado, now 12-1-2 in its past 15 games, had a chance to win it with 30 seconds remaining in overtime when Peter Forsberg skated into the Kings' zone. Forsberg, who had scored in his past 11 games, tried to stuff the puck past goaltender Cristobal Huet, but Luc Robitaille, who had fallen to the ice, made a stellar defensive play, poking the puck away from Forsberg with his stick while sprawled on the ice.

The tie keeps the Kings (20-15-12-5) ninth in the West with 57 points. No. 8 Nashville won to stay a point in front. Fifth-place St. Louis, once 10 points ahead of the Kings, beat Calgary and has 59 points.

Alexander Frolov had a power-play goal at 13:26 of the second period goal to tie the game for the Kings. Scott Barney also scored. Alex Tanguay, Travis Brigley and Milan Hejduk had goals for Colorado.

The Kings actually outshot the Avs 31-29. Huet, in net after 12 consecutive starts by Roman Cechmanek, made 26 saves. Huet shut out the Avs 2-0 on Nov. 22 in Denver.

The Kings had a great chance to tie with 8:40 remaining in the third period when Avs goalie David Aebischer came out of the net to stop a breakaway.

The puck squirted to the corner and the Kings' Jon Sim fired at an empty net. Colorado's Steve Moore skated into the crease and made the stop.

The Kings had played poorly in the first period the past three games. But Thursday, they scored first after Brigley was whistled for high sticking.

Mattias Norstrom fired from the point and Barney redirected it past Aebischer.

For Barney, who once missed three years with back trouble, it was his second goal in two nights and and third since joining the club Jan. 14.

He was leading the Kings' minor-league affiliate in Manchester, N.H., with 19 goals at the time of the recall.

But it took just more than a minute for the Avs to tie the score. Forsberg set up behind the Kings' net, then skated in front and tried to backhand the puck past Huet.

Tanguay got the rebound and buried his 18th of the season at 9:02 of the period.

It was the first of three consecutive Avs goals. At 5:01 of the second period, Steve Moore passed out of the corner to the slot and Brigley beat Huet to make it 2-1.

Matt McHale, [phone]

matt.mchale(at)dailynews.com