KINGS CAN'T SHAKE SKID; LOSS TO PENGUINS DROPS KINGS TO BELOW .500 : PITTSBURGH 2 KINGS 1.

Byline: Michael Rosenthal Daily News Staff Writer

The Kings played a spirited game in an effort to put an end to their losing streak at three games. Perhaps too spirited.

L.A. was hit with six penalties before Pittsburgh had one and the Penguins did just enough with the opportunities to extend the Kings' longest skid 2-1 before an announced crowd of 12,055 on Tuesday at the Forum.

The Kings (12-13-5) dropped below .500 for the first time since they were 5-6-4 on Nov. 1. They also matched their longest losing streak of last year: They lost four straight three times in 1996-97.

The Kings, who play Washington on Saturday at the Forum, took themselves out of the first period with four penalties (to the Penguins' none).

L.A., 22nd in the league in penalty killing coming into the game (82.2 percent), looked like the NHL's best for the first three penalties: Pittsburgh managed no goals and only a handful of the shots, which goaltender Stephane Fiset knocked away.

However, neither Fiset nor the Kings could withstand a fourth penalty. At 18:32, Rob Barnes had the puck to the side of the net and passed through the crease to Stu Barnes, who was able to flip it over a fallen Fiset and into the net from a tough angle.

Meanwhile, the Kings managed nothing offensively as a result of the penalties: They were outshot 9-3 in the period.

The Penguins made it 2-0 on the fifth L.A. penalty.

At 6:03 of the second period, Jaromir Jagr passed cross-ice to Rob Brown in the right circle and Brown slapped the puck past Fiset.

The Kings then cut the lead in half.

Only 1:17 after Pittsburgh's goal, Craig Johnson passed to Philippe Boucher behind the net and Boucher deflected the puck in front of the goal. It ricocheted off the skate of Vladimir Tsyplakov and then off the skate of a defender and past Penguins goaltender Tom Barrasso. It was Tsyplakov's eighth goal.

L.A. outshot Pittsburgh 13-11 in the second period, Ultimately, Pittsburgh was penalized three times, all in the third period. However, the Kings, 16th in the league on the power-play (13.4 percent), failed to convert.

In the end, the Kings managed to kill six of eight penalties, but it wasn't enough.

Notes: Kings general manager Dave Taylor said there is no timetable for goaltender Jamie Storr's return to the Kings.

Storr, playing for the Long Beach Ice Dogs, was 6-1-1 with a goals-against average of 2.64 after eight games. . . .

Defenseman Doug Zmolek, left wing Steve McKenna and right wing Sandy Moger were healthy scratches on Tuesday night.

Former King Eddie Olczyk was a healthy scratch for Pittsburgh. He's out for six to eight weeks with a depressed zygomatic arch. . . .

The Kings' junior players continue to score at healthy rate.

Center Scott Barney, playing for Peterborough, was tied for fourth in the OHL with 39 points (26 goals, 13 assists) after 29 games. Left wing Josh Green and right wing Marian Cisar, with Portland of the WHL, had 44 points (27-15) and 46 points (22-24) after 26 games, respectively.

CAPTION(S):

2 Photos

Photo: (1--Color) Kings' Dan Bylsma fights for the puck with Penguins' Jaromir Jagr.

(2) Kings' Yanic Perreault battles Penguins' Brad Werenka along the boards during the first period. The Kings lost their fourth straight game.

Hans Gutknecht / Daily News