COMEBACK KINGS TIE DETROIT : KINGS 3, DETROIT 3.

Byline: Tim Trepany Daily News Staff Writer

Excuse Kings coach Larry Robinson if he sounded a little confused after Monday's game.

It's just that there was no easy way to get a handle on how the Kings played in their 3-3 tie with the Detroit Red Wings at the Forum.

They were good, bad, indifferent and emotional, all in one game.

``At times we played well, at times we panicked,'' Robinson said. ``That scares me. The guys know how to play, but as soon as they get pressure, they get brain dead.''

They opened up brain dead, refusing to play the much-faster Red Wings physical and paid a price for it.

But after falling behind 3-0 after the first 25 minutes, they staged a stunning rally.

Goals by Sean O'Donnell and Eddie Olczyk in the final nine minutes of the second period cut the lead to one, and Ray Ferraro tied it, scoring on a breakaway at 12:22 of the third.

``You don't want to get down 3-0,'' said Kevin Stevens, who had three assists in his first game back after missing seven because of a bruised foot. ``There wasn't much to talk about on the bench when you get down like that.

``We don't have time to think about how we did or when we did. We need points.''

The tie left the Kings four points out of a Western Conference playoff berth. With 13 games remaining, they'll have to make the climb quickly. But judging by their furious rally against the Red Wings, it might be too early to count them out.

``We've had a few gritty performances this year,'' Robinson said. ``This probably carries (more) clout because it's a bigger game for us.''

No player mirrored the Kings' changing fortunes more than goalie Byron Dafoe.

The third goal Detroit scored, on a shot by Tomas Sandstrom from the high slot that went between his legs, should have been stopped. But he made up for it in overtime.

Dafoe faced six shots during the extra period, most from close range, but didn't flinch.

``We had a lot of chances to win, but (Dafoe) played a great game,'' Detroit coach Scotty Bowman said. ``He started off a little slow, but he made a lot of good saves late in the game.''

The tie extended the Red Wings' unbeaten streak to 11 games, but it was small consolation. They've blown third-period leads in all of their five ties during the streak.

``We said going into the third that we need points more than they do,'' Dafoe said. ``They're out here enjoying the sun and we're fighting for our lives.''

It looked like the Red Wings would enjoy an easy victory. Goals by Slava Kozlov and Kris Draper gave the Red Wings a 2-0 lead after the first period, and Sandstrom's goal at 4:36 of the second gave them a commanding 3-0 lead.

But O'Donnell got the Kings on the scoreboard with a slap shot from the left point. It deflected off Detroit's Vladimir Konstantinov in front and went into the net at 11:15.

It was O'Donnell's first goal since Feb. 17, when he capped a three-game goal scoring streak.

Olczyk brought the Kings to within one with a good effort in the final minute. He carried the puck through the right circle while fighting off Lidstrom on his left.

When he reached the front of the net, he beat goalie Chris Osgood on the glove side with a backhanded shot at 19:10.

CAPTION(S):

Photo

Photo: The Kings' Aki Berg, left, and goalie Byron Dafoe deny the Red Wings' Sergei Fedorov a goal.

Associated Press