KINGS NOTEBOOK: FERRARO, BOURQUE COME TO PLAY.

Byline: Roger Phillips

When the Kings skate onto the Forum ice for their home opener tonight and see their opponents, they might think they're looking in a mirror.

What they will see is a team that was the NHL's worst two years ago and was the most-improved team last season. The Kings' recent history has followed a nearly identical course.

But there's more, Kings center Ray Ferraro said following Thursday's practice at the Iceoplex in North Hills. The teams share a similar key to success.

``Boston's a hard-working team,'' said Ferraro, who is expected to make his first appearance of the season tonight. ``They've got some guys who can hurt you offensively, a couple of really good defensive guys, and a lot of guys who are solid and don't make mistakes. And (former King) Byron Dafoe is playing exceptionally well in goal. And it's a (coach) Pat Burns team. If you don't work hard, you're not going to beat them.''

The Kings (1-1) haven't played since losing at Vancouver on Monday. The Bruins are 2-0-1, and Dafoe has recorded shutouts the last two games. The Bruins have not allowed a goal in the last 151 minutes, 29 seconds.

Ageless Bourque: As always, the focal point of the Bruins is 37-year-old defenseman Ray Bourque, who is at the start of his 20th season in Boston. Bourque is three assists shy of tying former King Marcel Dionne for fourth place on the NHL's all-time assist list at 1,040.

``He never changes,'' said Kings coach Larry Robinson, a Hall of Famer as a defenseman. ``He's played the same the last 20 years. They haven't been cutting down on his ice time. It's a credit to Ray and the kind of game he plays. He moves the puck well, sees the ice well. I'm sure when he gets caught (out of position), he doesn't have the jump he had when he was 25. But he doesn't get caught often.''

Push the Yanic button:When he's hot, he's hot. But when he's not. . .

So far, fortunately for the Kings, 27-year-old center Yanic Perreault has been hot, scoring three of their four goals the first two games.

Last season Perreault was second on the Kings in goal scoring, one behind Glen Murray, who had 29. But Perreault scored 14 of his 28 goals in the first 20 games last season before cooling off dramatically. The Kings are hoping Perreault can be more consistent this season, and Robinson said he is willing to make concessions to Perreault's slight 5-foot-11, 188-pound frame.

``What we're seeing is that over the long haul of the season, he's not an overly large person to take the pounding from night to night, plus the traveling schedule that we have,'' Robinson said. ``So it probably wears him down. We'll look to probably rest him from time to time to keep him fresh all year.''

Still, Robinson said he believes Perreault is capable of producing on a more regular basis.

``He's a streak scorer,'' Robinson said. ``I'd like to see him get consistent this year. He looks hungrier and he's making the most of his chances. All through his career, he's been a goal scorer. (The fast start this season) is just a carryover of what we knew he was capable of.''

Said Perreault, who has been playing on a line with Luc Robitaille and rookie Josh Green: ``When you're playing with good offensive players, I think you'll get points. I'm trying to work hard every game and create some good things offensively. I'll shoot the puck a little more and I'm playing with some good offensive players, so I'll probably get some points. Sometimes you've got different roles. People see me as an offensive player. Right now I'm playing on a good offensive line.''

KINGS vs. BOSTON

Time: 7:30 p.m. at the Forum.

TV/Radio: Fox Sports West/KRLA-AM (1110).

Matchups: The Kings were 0-2 against Boston last season. The teams' other meeting is March 30 in Boston. . . . The Bruins have shut out their opponents the past two games. The last time they recorded three consecutive shutouts was Nov. 20-23-24, 1977. . . . Kings coach Larry Robinson said defenseman Garry Galley might play tonight after being a healthy scratch the first two games of the season, and center Ray Ferraro is expected to replace Ian Laperriere after watching the first two games. Laperriere is sidelined on a week-to-week basis with a partially torn anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee suffered in Monday's loss at Vancouver.

- Roger Phillips

CAPTION(S):

Photo, Box

Photo: FERRARO

Box: KINGS vs. BOSTON (See Text)