FLOP ON FIGUEROA KINGS FALL BEHIND AND THIS TIME STAY THERE; AVS LEAD SERIES 3-1 COLORADO 3, KINGS 0.

Byline: Karen Crouse Staff Writer

This Hollywood sequel was a flop of the magnitude not seen in this city since ``Hannibal.''

In another Game 4 of another playoff series on another Wednesday night at Staples Center, the Kings entered the final period down three goals to nothing.

Alas, ``Stunner at Staples II'' never had a chance. Exactly two weeks after choreographing their amazing comeback against Detroit, the Kings came up empty against a Colorado team that appears more than ready for its close-up.

The Avalanche handed the Kings their third consecutive defeat, by the score of 3-0, to take a commanding 3-1 lead in their best-of-seven Western Conference semifinal series.

The Kings will try to stave off elimination Friday in Denver. If Colorado goaltender Patrick Roy plays as well as he did Wednesday in recording his second shutout in three games, the fat lady will be warming up her pipes in the second period. In the middle 20 minutes, the Avalanche has outscored the Kings 6-1.

Colorado thoroughly outclassed the Kings in the second on this night, getting all three of its goals on just nine shots.

``Our second period has been so bad,'' Kings forward Bryan Smolinski said. ``We can't get out of that hole.''

Roy made 21 saves and was spectacular in the first period, when the Kings threw everything at him but the Hollywood Blvd. sinkhole.

The Kings executed their game plan to perfection in the opening 20 minutes, playing their finest first period since Games 5 and 6 against Detroit. They camped themselves in front of the net instead of in the penalty box and did everything but score.

The Kings fired 10 shots at Roy while Kings goaltender Felix Potvin faced only three. Those 10 shots were as many as the Kings managed in the first two periods of Game 1 and only one fewer than they had through 40 minutes of Monday's Game 3.

Adam Deadmarsh delivered four hits in the first period and where he dared to tread, the other Kings gamely followed. A panoramic snapshot that told the story of the first period as well as any was Smolinski knocking Peter Forsberg - the NHL playoff points leader - off the puck in the Kings' end and Glen Murray promptly getting off a shot from the right circle that missed the net.

The Kings planted themselves in front of the net, creating plenty of traffic in front of Roy, but they couldn't harvest any goals. Roy was a weed that choked each sprouting seedling of opportunity.

After weathering a hailstorm of shots in the first period, the Avalanche figured to come out in the second and skate as though chasing a rainbow. A recharged Colorado team needed only 3 minutes, 55 seconds to find its first gold nugget.

Alex Tanguay's pass across the crease bounced off the skate of Kings defenseman Jere Karalahti and skittered under Potvin's arm on the ice. Twenty-three minutes of extreme exertion by the Kings and all they had to show for their effort was a 1-0 deficit.

The Kings' collective blood-sugar level seemed to drop precipitously after the latest bad bounce in a series that has seen the Kings suffer a few. Maybe those stuffed black cats that fans are bringing to the rink to honor Potvin, ``The Cat,'' are bringing the Kings bad luck.

Whatever, the Kings tested Roy just five more times the rest of the period, with Nelson Emerson generating the Kings' two best scoring chances.

Kings coach Andy Murray said, ``We've tried to come up with answers'' for the team's sluggish second periods. ``Is it a question of the mental strength of our team? I'm not sure.''

Of this much, Murray was certain: ``We've got certain guys who are paid to score and we've got two shutouts against us. That shouldn't happen.''

Milan Hejduk, who has been hotter than horseradish in the series, extended the Avalanche's lead to 2-0 in the 17th minute, with three seconds remaining in Colorado's third power play of the game.

CAPTION(S):

photo, box

Photo:

(color) Colorado's Chris Drury watches his shot get past Kings' goalie Felix Potvin in the second period at Staples Center. It put the Avalanche up 3-0.

Gus Ruelas/Staff Photographer

Box: AVALANCHE 3, KINGS 0