KINGS NOTEBOOK: MURRAY, STRAKA LEFT SORE.

Byline: Matt McHale Staff Writer

ST. LOUIS - The line on Martin Straka's first game with the Kings: No points, one shot, one bruised shoulder.

Kings coach Andy Murray was pleased with Straka's presence on the ice during Tuesday's 4-1 loss to the St. Louis Blues, showing his trademark speed playing alongside fellow Europeans Jozef Stumpel and Alexander Frolov.

But Murray was seething after Blues doctors failed to treat Straka immediately after the 31-year-old left wing was crunched into the boards with seven minutes remaining in the second period.

``We were screaming at them to get someone in to see him, but the doctors didn't arrive until the intermission,'' Murray said. ``That is unacceptable and we are going to call the league. It wasn't a big injury, but we wanted it looked at and they took their time.''

Straka, acquired Sunday from Pittsburgh, was wearing an ice pack on the shoulder after the game. He also ices the right ankle he broke twice two seasons ago.

``It is OK,'' Straka said of the shoulder. ``I will be fine for Thursday (vs. Dallas). But it was frustrating tonight. We played better in the last 40 minutes after getting off to a slow start.''

--Decisions, decisions: Brady Murray, son of coach Andy Murray and the Kings' fifth-round pick (152nd overall) in June's draft, has decided to play for the United States at the upcoming World Junior Championships even though he has dual citizenship with Canada.

This is big news north of the border, where the junior tournaments are sacred. Andy and Ruth Murray are Canadian, but Brady was born in Florida in August 1984 when Andy was studying for a master's degree in sports management.

``(U.S.-born Blues forward) Keith Tkachuk was giving me the gears today,'' said Murray, using a Canadian expression for a hard time. ``But this was his decision. There was some timing involved. The U.S. invited him before Canada and he made up his mind on Sunday. Canada invited him later.''

Injured Kings forward Adam Deadmarsh was raised in British Columbia but his mother is from the United States, and he decided at age 18 to play for the U.S. Once that decision is made there can be no changes for the rest of his career. Deadmarsh played for the U.S. at the 2002 Winter Olympics.

Although Brady Murray, who plays at the University of North Dakota, is one of the top freshman scorers in college hockey, the Canadian team is loaded. Eleven members of last year's 18-under team that won a world championship at that level were taken in the first round of last year's NHL draft.

The U.S. has invited only 13 players for the junior team, including the Kings' Dustin Brown, who is not expected to play. The Canadians have invited 34 players. Only 23 make the team.

--Quick whistles: Ziggy Palffy (bruised jaw) skated for the second consecutive day but is questionable for Thursday's game against Dallas at Staples Center. ... Ian Laperriere, out since Thanksgiving with a concussion, has not begun skating. ... Brad Chartrand, sidelined Sunday with flu-like symptoms, returned to the lineup Tuesday.

Matt McHale, [phone]

matt.mchale(at)dailynews.com