KINGS NOTEBOOK: HE'S A KING IN MANHATTAN.

Byline: Matt McHale Staff Writer

NEW YORK - Tonight is a homecoming for Mathieu Schneider, but in his mind he traded in Manhattan for Manhattan Beach long ago.

Even before he signed with the Kings during the offseason, the New York native owned a house in Southern California. The Rangers were Schneider's team growing up in New Jersey and his employer the past two years. He first skated as a toddler at the rink in Rockefeller Center.

But the Rangers did not make the playoffs the past three seasons and Schneider, a high-priced defenseman, was considered expendable.

``There was disappointment that the team didn't do better,'' Schneider said Monday as the Kings were traveling from Boston for tonight's game against the Rangers. ``But when they fired (general manager) Neil Smith, I knew I was coming back. L.A. was my first choice and it has worked out great.''

Not only is Schneider, 31, off to a terrific offensive start with six goals and 17 points in 22 games, he is teamed with exciting Czech rookie Lubomir Visnovsky.

``It's a little tough sometimes because he doesn't speak English, but we still communicate,'' Schneider said. ``He is an amazing talent with great vision.''

Last summer, the Kings went looking for a defenseman after Sean O'Donnell was claimed by expansion Minnesota and Garry Galley signed as an unrestricted free agent with the New York Islanders.

Schneider, who had been working out with Rob Blake the past few summers in Venice Beach, was interested. He had received calls from Dallas, Florida and Washington but signed a one-year deal with the Kings for $2 million that could bump to $3 million with incentives. He also has an option year next season that becomes his choice if he reaches 35 points.

With a quarter of the season gone, he is almost half way there.

``I still have a lot of friends here,'' Schneider said of New York. ``But even if I don't stay with the Kings, I live in L.A. after I retire.''

--Belanger on the way: The Kings will recall center Eric Belanger from minor-league Lowell, Mass., today to replace right wing Brad Chartrand, who will be sent back to the minors. Due to Jozef Stumpel's holdout, Belanger made the Kings out of training camp. He had a goal and two assists in his first NHL game. When Stumpel returned in mid-October, Belanger was sent to the minors. In Sunday's 4-2 victory against St. John's, Belanger scored with Kings general manager Dave Taylor in the stands. In 13 games, Belanger had eight goals and 17 assists for Lowell, which is less than an hour from Boston, where the Kings skated to a 4-4 tie Sunday night.

KINGS vs. NEW YORK RANGERS

Time: 4 p.m. at Madison Square Garden.

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

Matchup: The Kings are coming off back-to-back ties. The Rangers beat high-flying Ottawa on Sunday for one of their biggest wins of the season. They were 0-7-1 against Ottawa since 1998. After missing the playoffs the past three years, the 12-11-0 Rangers have been revived by GM Glen Sather and veteran center Mark Messier. But Theo Fleury, a bust last year after signing a huge contract, is leading the league with 16 goals. The Kings (11-7-6) wind up their three-game trip to the East tonight, then have three days off before playing expansion Minnesota on Saturday.

- Matt McHale

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Box: KINGS vs. NEW YORK RANGERS (see text)