KINGS NOTEBOOK: MURRAY KEEPS FINGER ON KINGS.

Byline: Matt McHale Staff Writer

COLUMBUS, Ohio - Although it could be a few weeks before he returns to the bench, Kings coach Andy Murray was very involved in Tuesday's 5-1 victory over the Columbus Blue Jackets.

Between the second and third periods, Murray, who suffered a concussion and shoulder and rib injuries Feb. 15 in a one-car accident in Wisconsin, phoned general manager Dave Taylor from home in Minnesota to check on the score.

``He was in good spirits,'' Taylor said. ``Obviously he wants to get back, but with head injuries you have to rely on what the doctors tell you.''

Despite lingering grogginess and nausea, Murray received encouraging news Tuesday when a CAT scan determined that blood has not leaked from his brain, a condition doctors said would require surgery to repair.

``It was good to hear something positive for a change,'' Murray's wife Ruth said Tuesday. ``Blood on the brain would have meant surgery right away and who knows when he might be back.''

Murray is in the middle of two days of testing at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn., less than an hour from his family's home. He underwent an MRI exam late Tuesday and will be reevaluated today.

But a second CAT scan on Tuesday did reveal a torn rotator cuff and a fractured bone behind Murray's left shoulder. Murray had been diagnosed at the time of the accident with a separated shoulder. He has suffered from nausea and his four fractured ribs have been slow to heal, but medication has helped curb the pain.

Doctors are uncertain when Murray, who has the Kings headed to their third consecutive playoff appearance, will return to the club. He was expected to remain overnight at the Mayo Clinic but was well enough to return home to Fairbault, where he lives with wife and three children.

``It's still going to be awhile before he gets back,'' Ruth Murray said. ``The kids have a three-week break in the middle of March and we'll all go to Los Angeles until things improve.''

After beating the Blue Jackets, the Kings play tonight in Pittsburgh before returning to Los Angeles. The Kings play host to Columbus on Saturday afternoon and play Ottawa on Monday night before heading back on the road March 5 for games in Dallas, Nashville and Colorado.

--Quick whistles: Brad Chartrand, who played with Murray on the Canadian National team and is probably his favorite player, said the club met before Tuesday's game to talk about their fallen coach.

``We all knows what he means to this team,'' said Chartrand, who scored the eventual game-winning goal. ``But he would be the first one to tell us that you don't look back, you go out there and play the game. You lose teammates to injuries all the time, but it is pretty weird to lose your coach. But our focus improved after the first period and we went from there.''

KINGS vs. PITTSBURGH

Faceoff: 4:30 p.m., Mellon Arena.

TV/Radio: Fox Sports Net; 1150-AM.

Matchup: The Penguins will be playing their first game since owner Mario Lemieux helped lead Canada to an Olympic gold medal. Lemieux, who missed two months earlier this year after hip surgery, was nagged by hip problems during the Olympics. He might have an even bigger task now, getting the Penguins into the playoffs. They are 22-26-6-4 and 12th overall in the East, seven points from the final playoff spot. Before the break, Lemieux did not play the second game of back-to-back situations. The Penguins have four left, including a tough set against Toronto and Boston to end the regular season. Pittsburgh's Alexei Kovalev, who played for Russia during the Games, leads Pittsburgh in scoring with 20 goals and 45 points.

- Matt McHale

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KINGS vs. PITTSBURGH (see text)