KINGS CHANGE ENDING SEVEN-GAME LOSING STREAK IS OVER KINGS 5, CHICAGO 4 (OT).

Byline: Rich Hammond  Staff Writer

It had all the qualities of recent Kings games: The defensive breakdowns and offensive blackout in the third period; the goaltender being pulled after a subpar effort; the penalty kill, mostly toothless again.

The difference Saturday? The Kings somehow found a way to win. Finally.

``It was absolutely necessary to win this game,'' said defenseman Joe Corvo, whose overtime goal ended the Kings' seven-game winless streak in a 5-4 victory over Chicago in front of 18,118 at Staples Center. ``I've been moping around and the team has been moping around. Everything has been going wrong.''

After the game, the Kings' dressing room radiated more relief than joy, and with good reason. The Kings held a 4-2 lead in the third period but needed Corvo's power-play goal, on a slap shot 40 seconds into overtime, to end their slide against a Chicago team that had won just 18 of 55 games entering Saturday's contest.

With only today's game against division-leading Dallas standing between the Kings and the two-week Olympic break, the Kings faced the distinct possibility of going at least six weeks between wins, which is why the victory over Chicago felt far more valuable than the two points they gained in the standings.

``They scored two goals and it was like that feeling of, 'Here we go again,' '' Kings center Jeremy Roenick said. ``As bad as things have been going, we just kept at it. We needed a win like that.''

Credit an assist on the victory to Blackhawks winger Matthew Barnaby.

The Kings seemed on the verge of a full implosion with 3:01 remaining in the third period and the game tied. That's when Sean Avery took a delay-of-game penalty for shooting the puck over the glass.

It was a cringe-worthy moment, particularly since Avery had been a healthy scratch for the Kings' previous two games and had spent the week verbally jousting with coach Andy Murray.

``Right after that penalty,'' Murray said, ``Barnaby skated by our bench and said, 'We're going to score on this power play and Avery is going to be a healthy scratch for the next game.''

Chicago didn't score, and perhaps karma caught up with Barnaby. Just 10 seconds after Avery left the penalty box, Barnaby took his own delay- of-game penalty, which carried over into overtime and paid off for the Kings when Corvo fired a slap shot over the shoulder of Chicago goalie Craig Anderson.

Corvo also scored an overtime goal on Jan. 23 against the Mighty Ducks, which had been the Kings' last victory until Saturday. Since then, the Kings had endured five regulation losses and two overtime losses.

``This is the worst stretch I've been through in my career, even on some of those Calgary teams that didn't make the playoffs,'' said Kings center Craig Conroy, who had a goal and an assist Saturday. ``But we're still right in the thick of things, and now we can move forward.''

But just barely. The Kings led 4-2 after two periods and Jason LaBarbera had looked mostly solid in net against an anemic Chicago offensive attack, so things were looking good for the Kings.

But suddenly, the game turned. Tyler Arnason scored a goal 6:28 into the period to pull Chicago within one, and 3:10 later, Martin Lapointe tied the score.

Rich Hammond, [phone]

rich.hammond(at)dailynews.com

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Photo:

The Kings' Dustin Brown, right, battles for control of the puck against Chicago's James Wisniewski during the first period.

Edna T. Simpson/Daily News