KINGS ENCOUNTER BLUE-PRINT FOR DISASTER OSGOOD GETS 300TH VICTORY IN KEY WESTERN SHOWDOWN ST. LOUIS 5, KINGS 3.

Byline: Matt McHale Staff Writer

Staples Center was packed and loud, but it was the St. Louis Blues who left the Kings with a ringing in their ears.

It wasn't the frenzied final seven minutes that told the story about a 5-3 loss in what was considered a ``must-win'' game for two teams scrambling for a playoff berth with just 10 days to play.

It turned out to be three first-period goals against the Kings' white-hot goaltender Cristobal Huet that was the hardest to overcome.

Although Sean Avery brought the sellout crowd of 18,118 to its feet by scoring with 8:55 minutes remaining to make it a one-goal game, Blues goaltender Chris Osgood held on to post his 300th career victory.

The loss flopped the Kings and the Blues in the Western Conference playoff standings. The Kings (28-21-16-70) entered the game seventh. The Blues, who lost Sunday after a six-game unbeaten streak, were ninth. No. 8 Nashville held serve by tying Vancouver.

In addition to Avery, Scott Barney and Lubomir Visnovsky scored for the Kings.

Keith Tkachuk scored the eventual game-winner 36 seconds into the third period after a clearing pass from Huet got away from Jozef Stumpel.

Pascal Rheaume, Dallas Drake and Mike Sillinger also scored for the Blues. Petr Cajanek, who added two assists, scored into an empty net in the final minute.

Osgood faced 34 shots, including 11 in the third period, in recording his historic victory. One that didn't count was a pass by Barney with six minutes remaining that slid through the St. Louis crease. Nathan Dempsey was in front but couldn't control the puck.

The Kings' struggling power play, which entered the game six for its past 72, was held scoreless against the Blues, but penalties were not much of a factor in the game.

The Kings appeared to catch a break when Blues top defenseman Chris Pronger was suspended for the game for an on-ice incident Sunday night against Calgary.

They looked better when Barney scored just 2:50 into the game. Esa Pirnes won the faceoff and passed back to Barney, who let go a 40-foot one-timer for his first goal since Feb. 13, the night he separated his right shoulder in Buffalo.

Barney is someone the Kings see in their future. Tuesday night was his fifth goal.

But the Blues ruined the moment 35 seconds later when Rheaume tied it on a rebound. Ryan Johnson started the play by skating past Aaron Miller then leaving a drop pass for Reed Low.

Huet stopped Low's shot but Rheaume was right and banged it home.

It looked a lot like Saturday's loss in San Jose when the San Jose Sharks scored less than a minute after Joe Corvo tied the game in the first period. The Kings never recovered.

It didn't get an easier for Huet, who entered the game 3-0-1 in his last four game with a 1.77 goals-against average.

Just 32 seconds after Rheaume's goal, Eric Weinrich picked up the puck along the boards and fired on net. Drake was standing alone in front and scored his 12th of the year.

Huet actually had the next eight minutes to catch his breath before Cajanek set up behind the Kings goal line and found Sillinger. His long-range blast sailed over Huet's right arm and into the net at 11:37 to give the Blues a 3-1 lead.

Kings coach Andy Murray quickly called timeout. This game was too big to play sloppy and the club was being overmatched.

Rheaume left the game in the second with a hip flexor injury and did not return, but it didn't look like the Kings could get back in this one.

It wasn't until late in the second period when Visnovsky made it a one-goal game. Alexander Frolov found him with a pass in the slot and Visnovsky easily beat Osgood at 14:45.

For Visnovsky, it was his seventh goal of the year but first since Dec. 18.

After that goal, Visnovsky missed the next six games with a concussion. He returned for 15 games and recorded five assists before getting crunched into the boards Jan. 31 by Edmonton's Ethan Moreau.

Matt McHale, [phone]

matt.mchale(at)dailynews.com

CAPTION(S):

2 photos, box

Photo:

(1 -- color) Goaltender Cristobal Huet watches the Blues score their third goal in the first period during the Kings' 5-3 loss Tuesday.

(2) Lubomir Visnovsky (17), who scored one of the Kings' three goals Tuesday night, battles St. Louis' Petr Cajanek for a loose puck.

Tina Burch/Staff Photographer

Box:

WESTERN CONFERENCE STANDINGS