KINGS BURIED BY AVALANCHE COLORADO 5, KINGS 0.

Byline: Rich Hammond  Staff Writer

The Kings did more than honor Adam Deadmarsh on Monday. They held him up as an example.

With the Kings floundering a bit of late, and in need of a spark to boost their shaky playoff status, coach Andy Murray reminded his players of Deadmarsh, and the no-nonsense style of play he represented.

``We were talking about playoff intensity and grit, and who better exemplified that in his career than Adam Deadmarsh?'' Murray said. ``We all know what kind of player he was.''

Deadmarsh was the kind of player who could change a game. Like, for instance, Colorado's Joe Sakic, who Monday foiled the Kings' attempt to climb the Western Conference standings. Sakic had two first-period goals and two assists as the Avalanche defeated the Kings 5-0 at Staples Center.

Before the game, Deadmarsh received a standing ovation as part of a ceremony to commemorate his nine-year NHL career, which ended in September when he retired due to persistent concussion issues.

But instead of finding inspiration, the Kings got dominated. Sakic scored two goals on the Avalanche's first three shots and Kings goalie Mathieu Garon raised concern with another shaky performance.

A victory Monday would have moved the Kings into fifth place in the Western Conference, but the loss would drop them to eighth place, just two points ahead of ninth-place San Jose. By the time they play again, on Saturday, the Kings conceivably could be in 10th place in the conference.

Colorado played without leading scorer Alex Tanguay, who injured his knee the night before, but Sakic provided the offense and a team effort helped control the Kings' typically stagnant power play.

After Sakic scored twice in the first 14 minutes and assisted on second- period goals by Ian Laperriere and Andrew Brunette, Murray pulled Garon in favor of Jason LaBarbera with 8:23 left in the period.

Garon has been let down by some shaky defensive play of late, but two of the goals he allowed were stoppable, and there's a good chance LaBarbera will get a look when the Kings resume action Saturday.

Garon has allowed at least four goals in five of his past seven games and was pulled from three of those. Hours before the game, Murray spoke of the need for Garon to play well, but it didn't happen.

Not that he got much help, either. In the second of back-to-back games, the Avalanche had plenty of energy. Thanks in large part to goalie Peter Budaj, the Avalanche killed four Kings power plays in the first period.

Three times in the past four games, the Kings have allowed their opponents to score at least two goals within their first five shots on goal.

--Notes: Alexander Frolov (separated shoulder) practiced with the Kings for a third consecutive day Monday morning and said he expects to return Saturday, but Murray didn't seem so sure.

``At this point he's still listed as week to week,'' Murray said, even though days earlier he hadn't ruled out Frolov playing Monday. ``Maybe we got a little ahead of ourselves.''

Frolov has been out of action for four-plus weeks but said he's pointing toward a Saturday return.

``I feel better, my strength is better,'' Frolov said.

The status of Pavol Demitra is even less certain. Demitra has a concussion and blurry vision and has not been on the ice since he took a hit from Phoenix's Keith Ballard on Monday.

``He's not seeing straight,'' Murray said. ``It's not safe for him to play.''

Rich Hammond, [phone]

rich.hammond(at)dailynews.com