KINGS CAN'T BUILD ON THIS L.A. GETS SUNK IN SECOND PERIOD SAN JOSE 5, KINGS 2.

Byline: RICH HAMMOND  Staff Writer

A rebuilding process has to start somewhere, and for the Kings it's already under way, with a season that has been alternately hopeful and frustrating, sometimes exciting and sometimes cringe-inducing.

Aspects of the season -- the progress of Anze Kopitar and Alexander Frolov -- have been encouraging, while others -- the play of $6 million goalie Dan Cloutier -- have been infuriating. But even in this season of instability, the Kings haven't given up on the idea of playing meaningful late-season games.

However, those hopes took a serious hit Thursday night, as the Kings could not generate momentum in a 5-2 loss to San Jose at Staples Center.

Michael Cammalleri broke a scoreless tie five minutes into the second period, but the Sharks beat Kings goaltender Mathieu Garon three times in the second period and took control of the game.

Garon, who had been solid, and often stellar, in his previous three games, allowed three goals among the 14 shots he faced in the second period and the Kings generated only 14shots through two periods.

Ryan Clowe scored 7:28 into the third period to give the Sharks a three-goal lead but the Kings' Anze Kopitar answered with a goal just 30 seconds later.

But Patrick Rissmiller put the game away for the Sharks with an empty- net goal with 1:26 left.

The Kings had reason to be hopeful Thursday, as they had defeated the Sharks in two of the teams' three meetings at Staples Center this season, and SanJose entered with four losses in its past seven games.

By contrast, the Kings were 4-2-1 in their past seven, and desperate to generate some momentum in a balanced conference, one in which the last- place team, St. Louis, is one of the league's hottest teams.

``Look at Phoenix or Chicago,'' team captain Mattias Norstrom said. ``If you put a little streak together, it puts you right back in the playoff hunt. Seeing what a streak can do for you, that's encouraging.''

A victory over the Sharks, who have been among the conference's best teams all season, would have been a major statement, and the Kings started well enough, with a solid effort in a scoreless first period.

The Kings' best scoring chance came 8:45 into the period, when Kopitar nearly tucked a rebound into the net, but Vesa Toskala, the Sharks' prone goalie, reached behind himself and covered the puck.

Less than two minutes later, Garon slid across to stop a breakaway by San Jose's Mike Grier.

Both teams broke through in the second period. The Kings struck first, 5:02 into the period. After Kopitar picked off a terrible defensive-zone pass by San Jose's Christian Ehrhoff, Dustin Brown took a shot and Cammalleri picked up the rebound and tucked a shot just inside the far goal post for a 1-0 lead.

Cammalleri, second on the Kings with 16 goals, has scored three goals in his past four games.

That would be the end of the good news for the Kings, who lost their lead less than three minutes later.

At 7:48, Mark Bell, who had been out of the penalty box for just 29 seconds, fired the puck from the middle of the right faceoff circle and it tricked through Garon and into the net.

San Jose took the lead with 7:41 left in the period when Milan Michalek knocked the top into the top corner after a scrum in front of the net. The Sharks extended their lead to 3-1 with 1:02 remaining in the period when Patrick Marleau knocked in a rebound on a shot by Joe Pavelski.

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Photo:

Kings goalie Mathieu Garon, right, blocks a shot by San Jose right wing Mike Grier during the first period.

Chris Carlson/Associated Press